Discover names Conwell in top 50

Conwell

sther Conwell '44 (Mas), professor of chemistry, is one of the top 50 female scientists of all time, according to a new listing by Discover magazine.

Conwell, who is best known for revealing how electronic signals flow through semiconductors, led research that shaped the computer revolution. Her scholarship earned her an uncommon dual membership in the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering, two of the highest honors a scientist or engineer can receive. Conwell is the only member of the University to hold this distinction.

The November issue of Discover points out that only 3 percent of scientists are women, but notes, "If just one of these women had gotten fed up and quit--as many do--the history of science would have been impoverished." The article is devoted to highlighting women who changed the course of science with their research.

"Esther Conwell is a truly legendary figure in science," said William Jones, chair of the chemistry department. "Her lifelong fascination with materials that shape the future has inspired our chemists and other scientists worldwide."

Earning her master's degree in physics at the University and her doctorate at the University of Chicago, Conwell taught at Brooklyn College, her undergraduate alma mater, from 1946 to 1951. She also spent a year as a visiting professor at the University of Paris in 1962 and a semester at MIT in 1972 as the Abby Rockefeller Mauze Professor.

Conwell currently studies the movement of electrons through DNA.

"The motion of charge can lead to mutations that can be cancer producing," she says. "And the properties of DNA could be useful in assembling circuit elements in nanoelectronic circuits."

The Society of Women Engineers recognized Conwell early in her career with its 1960 achievement award. In 1997, the Institute of Electrical Engineers presented Conwell with the prestigious Edison Award, making her the first woman to win this major medal. Previous Edison Award recipients include Alexander Graham Bell and George Westinghouse.

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