Barbara Kegerreis Lunde facts for kids
Barbara Kegerreis Lunde (born in 1937) is an amazing American scientist! She's a physicist (someone who studies how the world works) and an electrical engineer (someone who designs electrical systems). In the 1960s, she worked for NASA, helping to create important tools for space missions. Barbara Lunde was a true pioneer: she was the second woman to get a special science degree (a doctorate in physics) from Iowa State University. She was also the very first woman in Iowa to become a professional electrical engineer!
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Early Life and Education
Barbara Lunde grew up in Elmhurst, Illinois. Her dad was also an electrical engineer and a physicist, so maybe that's where she got her love for science! She finished high school at York Community High School in 1955.
After high school, Barbara went to Northwestern University. She earned two degrees there: a bachelor's degree in physics in 1957 and a master's degree in physics in 1959. She was a very dedicated student!
Working at MIT and NASA
After college, Barbara got a job at MIT, which is a super famous science and engineering school. There, she helped design guidance systems for missiles. She also invented and patented a special digital accelerometer, which is a device that measures how fast something is speeding up or slowing down. Think of it like a super-smart motion sensor!
In 1961, Barbara started working as an engineer at the Goddard Space Flight Center for NASA. This was a really exciting time for space exploration! She helped create a simpler jet fuel system for spacecraft. She also managed a project called the "Reliable Earth Sensor." Barbara remembers that early in her career, she was often the only woman at big science meetings. She was breaking new ground!
Life in Iowa and New Inventions
Later, Barbara Lunde moved to Ames, Iowa. There, she helped build a radio station called KLFM with her husband, Paul. She built and took care of the station herself!
While in Iowa, she also went back to school at Iowa State University. In 1970, she earned her doctorate in physics, becoming only the second woman to do so at that university. She also made history by becoming the first woman in all of Iowa to be a professional electrical engineer. For a while, she even taught as a professor at Iowa State.
Protecting from Radiation
In the 1980s, Barbara used her knowledge from working with radio waves to create something very unique. She designed special clothing, like underwear, to help protect people from electromagnetic radiation. She even started her own company called Silver Lining to sell these special clothes!
Later Career and Awards
In 2003, Barbara Lunde started a new job as an aerospace technologist for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). She worked as a Training Specialist, helping others learn about aerospace technology.
She retired in 2013 and moved to Minneapolis. In 2015, Barbara Lunde was honored with a special award called the Richard S. Alberg Distinguished Science and Technology Professional Award. This award recognized her amazing contributions to science and technology throughout her life!
