Katharine Burr Blodgett Biography

it can be safely said that her life as a scientist was well and truly an inspiring one. Read on to know more about her life and works

Quick Facts
Died At Age: 81

Physicists

American Women
Died on: October 12, 1979place of death: SchenectadyU.S. State: New YorkersCity: Schenectady, New YorkMore Factseducation: University of Cambridge, University of Chicago, Bryn Mawr Collegeawards: Garvan–Olin Medal

Childhood & Early Life

Katharine Burr Blodgett was born on January 10, 1898 in Schenectady, New York. Her father, George Blodgett, was a patent lawyer for General Electric, one of the largest corporations at the time. Unfortunately, her father was killed by a burglar a few months before she was born. Despite this tragedy, the family did not face financial difficulties as her father had left enough money. In 1901, her mother decided to take the family to France, where they lived until Blodgett was 6 years old. Upon returning to New York, she studied at Rayson School. Blodgett showed a remarkable gift in the sciences and graduated at the age of 15 in 1913. She then attended Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania, where she excelled in physics and mathematics.

Career

During her Christmas vacation in college, Blodgett visited the General Electric plant in Schenectady in 1917. There, she was told by chemist Irving Langmuir that she would need a master’s degree to work there. In 1918, she obtained her master’s degree from the University of Chicago and was subsequently employed by General Electric. Blodgett became the first female scientist to be employed by the company. She worked at General Electric for 6 years and published a paper in the Physical Review on the use of carbon molecules to improve the effectiveness of gas masks.

In 1924, Blodgett went to Cambridge University in England to complete her PhD. Two years later, she became the first woman to be awarded a PhD by the institution. She then returned to work at General Electric. In 1935, Blodgett collaborated with Irving Langmuir to create glass with 44 monomolecular coatings, resulting in a non-reflective surface. This invention was named the “Langmuir-Blodgett film” after the inventors. Blodgett also invented the “colour gauge,” a method for measuring the minuscule molecular coats applied to glass.

Blodgett retired from General Electric in 1963 after nearly five decades of collaboration. In retirement, she pursued her love for gardening and conducted experiments related to horticulture.

Major Works

Blodgett’s most important contribution was the development of an accurate and precise method for measuring transparent objects. She also developed non-reflecting glass coated with multiple layers of an oily film, using the same technique. Throughout her lifetime, she obtained 8 patents for her inventions.

Awards & Achievements

In 1945, Blodgett was honored with the Achievement Award by the American Association of University Women for her role as a female scientist. In 1951, she received the Garvan-Olin Medal, which recognizes distinguished scientific accomplishment, leadership, and service to chemistry by women chemists. The US Chamber of Commerce also included her in their list of 15 women of achievement in 1951.

Personal Life & Legacy

Blodgett never married and dedicated her life to the pursuit of science. She lived with two different women at different stages of her life in a Boston marriage, a custom in New England where two women lived together without the need for the company and financial support of a man. She passed away on October 12, 1979 at the age of 81 in her residence.

Trivia

In addition to her scientific pursuits, Blodgett was also an amateur actor and participated in plays arranged by a theatre group in Schenectady.

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