“Carbon Queen: The Remarkable Life of Nanoscience Pioneer Mildred Dresselhaus” is the name of a new book that tells the story of MIT physicist, Mildred Dresselhaus.
Mildred “Millie” Dresselhaus grew up in New York City in the 1940’s, when the only career paths women were encouraged to follow were teaching, nursing, or secretary work. However, Dresselhaus was curious about science and read books and magazines on the subject as a child. Maia Weinstock, who is also the deputy editorial director in the MIT News Office tells Dressehaus’ story about how she became enamored of science and engineering. She used this passion to fuel her desire to become a pioneering scientist and engineer.
“Millie was nothing less than a hero to many, in her home country and around the world,” Weinstock writes in “Carbon Queen.” “The story of her life provides insights into the workings of an ever-expanding mind, the ongoing evolution of societal attitudes toward women and people of color in science and engineering, and the unique power of kindness.”
None of her success came easy to Dresselhaus. She grew up in poverty and her graduate advisor did not want to invest time into educating a woman. Her mentors became Nobel Prize-winning physicists Rosalyn Yalow and Enrico Fermi, launching toward success.
MIT was her home, as DresselHaus spent nearly six decades of her professional career. She was one of the first female professors at the institution.
