Bettye Washington Greene facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bettye Washington Greene
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| Born | March 20, 1935 Palestine, Texas, United States
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| Died | June 16, 1995 (aged 60) Midland, Michigan, U.S.
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| Other names | Bettye Greene, Bettye Washington |
| Education | Tuskegee Institute, Wayne State University |
| Spouse(s) | William M. Greene |
| Children | Willetta Greene Johnson, Victor M. Greene; Lisa Kianne Greene |
| Parent(s) | Kian Criss George Washington |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physical chemistry |
| Institutions | Dow Chemical |
Bettye Washington Greene (March 20, 1935 – June 16, 1995) was an important American industrial research chemist. She was one of the first African American women to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry. She was also the very first African American female Ph.D. chemist to work in a professional role at the Dow Chemical Company. At Dow, she focused her research on latex and polymers. Dr. Greene is celebrated as an early African American pioneer in science.
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Early Life
Bettye Washington was born in Palestine, Texas, to George Washington and Kian Criss. She attended Our Lady of Mercy Elementary School and James E. Guinn Junior High School. During her childhood, schools in the United States were separated by race. She graduated from I.M. Terrell High School around 1952.
Discovering Chemistry
Bettye went to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1955. She then continued her studies at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. There, she earned her Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1965. Physical chemistry is a field that studies how matter and energy interact.
Her doctoral research, guided by Wilfried Heller, explored new ways to use light to measure the size of tiny particles in liquids. This work was very important for understanding materials like paints and glues. During this time, she also taught chemistry to college students. Her Ph.D. paper, called "Determination of particle size distributions in emulsions by light scattering," was published in 1965.
Personal Life
In July 1955, Bettye married William Miller Greene, who was a Captain in the Air Force. They had three children: Willetta Greene Johnson, Victor M. Greene, and Lisa Kianne Greene. She was also chosen to be a member of Sigma Xi, which is a respected society for scientific researchers.
A Life of Contributions
Working at Dow Chemical
In 1965, Dr. Greene began working at the Dow Chemical Company in Midland, Michigan. Dow Chemical is a large company that creates many different chemical products and materials. She made history as the first African American woman to join the company in a professional scientific position.
Dr. Greene became an expert in colloid and latex chemistry. This field studies how tiny particles are spread out in liquids. Latex, for example, is a material used in paints, adhesives, and many other products. She also researched polymers, which are large molecules that make up plastics and other important materials. Her knowledge was often sought after by other research groups at Dow.
In 1970, Dr. Greene was promoted to senior research chemist. Later, in 1973, she joined Dow Chemical's Designed Polymers Research Division. Here, she continued to work with latex, looking for new polymers to make it even better. She was promoted again in 1975 to senior research specialist. Dr. Greene worked for Dow Chemical until she retired in 1990.
During her career, Dr. Greene developed many new ideas and processes. She received several patents for her inventions. A patent is a special legal right that protects an inventor's new idea or product. For example, in 1985, she received a patent for a method to create stable latexes with special phosphorus groups for paper coatings. In 1990, she was granted a patent for a latex-based adhesive used to make sticky tapes.
Dr. Greene passed away in Midland on June 16, 1995, after many years of important work in polymer science.
Giving Back to the Community
Dr. Greene was a founding member of the Midland, Michigan Alumni Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority. This is a national public service group that focuses on helping African American women and their communities. The Midland chapter was officially started in 1984.
Honoring a Pioneer
Many years after her death, Dr. Greene's contributions were officially recognized. On October 27, 2023, the American Chemical Society (ACS) awarded her a National Historical Chemical Landmark. This special honor celebrates important places and people in the history of chemistry. The celebration took place at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, where she earned her Ph.D.
See also
In Spanish: Bettye Washington Greene para niños
