Caroline Herzenberg facts for kids

Caroline Stuart Littlejohn Herzenberg (born March 25, 1932) is an American physicist. She has made big contributions to the world of science, especially in physics and by sharing the stories of women in science.

About Caroline Herzenberg

Caroline Herzenberg was born in East Orange, New Jersey, on March 25, 1932. Her family moved to Oklahoma City when she was young. Later, in 1961, she married Leonardo Herzenberg. They have two daughters, Karen Ann and Catherine Stuart. Today, she lives in Hyde Park, Chicago.

Her Education and Early Career

When Caroline was in high school, she won the Westinghouse Science Talent Search. This is a very important science competition! After that, she went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At that time, very few women studied at MIT. She earned her first degree from MIT in 1953.

Then, she went to the University of Chicago for more studies. She even took a class with the famous scientist Enrico Fermi. She earned her master's degree in 1955. For her PhD, she studied low energy nuclear physics. This involved experiments using a special machine called a Van de Graaff accelerator. She received her PhD in 1958.

After getting her PhD, Caroline continued her research at the Enrico Fermi Institute for Nuclear Studies at the University of Chicago. She then worked at Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois. In 1961, she became a physics professor at Illinois Institute of Technology. There, she led a lab and research programs in nuclear physics. She also taught students.

Later Work and Achievements

From 1967 to 1971, Caroline worked as a research physicist at IIT Research Institute. Here, she was a main scientist for the NASA Apollo program. She analyzed samples of rocks brought back from the Moon! She also continued her work with Mössbauer spectrometry, a special way to study materials.

Later, she taught physics at the University of Illinois and California State University, Fresno. In 1977, Caroline returned to Argonne National Laboratory. She worked there until she retired in 2001. At Argonne, she focused on applying physics to real-world problems. This included things like radiation safety, how to use fossil fuels, and how to safely get rid of radioactive waste. She also worked on preparing for emergencies involving dangerous chemicals.

Caroline Herzenberg was the first scientist to be honored in the Chicago Women's Hall of Fame. She also received an honorary science degree in 1991. Because of her important work, she became a fellow of several major science groups. These include the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Physical Society. She even served as the president of the Association for Women in Science from 1988 to 1990.

Her Research and Books

Caroline Herzenberg has helped us learn a lot about the history of women in science. She wrote many articles and chapters in books on this topic. In 1986, she wrote a book called Women Scientists from Antiquity to the Present. Later, in 1999, she co-wrote another book with Ruth Howes called Their Day in the Sun: Women of the Manhattan Project. These books tell the stories of many amazing women scientists throughout history.

Physics Discoveries

After her PhD, Caroline continued her research in nuclear physics. She studied how different lithium, beryllium, and boron atoms reacted. This work helped set the stage for future studies of heavy ions.

She then focused on Mössbauer spectroscopy, which is a way to study the tiny details of materials. She was part of the team that proved the Mössbauer effect was real. She also set up special labs for this research.

Caroline realized that Mössbauer spectrometry could be used to study rocks from the Moon. NASA gave her a grant to do this during the Apollo program. She was a lead scientist in the NASA Apollo Returned Lunar Sample Analysis Program. She studied some of the very first moon rocks brought back by astronauts!

Caroline Herzenberg has written hundreds of scientific papers and many book chapters about science and technology.

Other Interests and Activities

Caroline Herzenberg has always cared about important issues in society. These include peace, justice, and human rights.

• When she was a student at MIT, she supported a professor who was unfairly targeted during the time of McCarthyism.
• She has worked hard for women's rights, especially for women in science, through the Association for Women in Science.
• She helped create guidelines for ethical issues in physics.
• She even ran for a local political position in Freeport, Illinois, which taught her a lot.
• While in Freeport, she created and hosted a TV show about science called "Camera on Science."
• In 1986, she did her own research and showed that some defense weapons could also be used for attacking. This brought national attention to her work.
• After retiring, Caroline has stayed active in her community. She takes part in demonstrations and events that support peace, justice, and human rights. She works with groups like the American Friends Service Committee and Jewish Voice for Peace.
• In her free time, Caroline enjoys bird watching, often in Jackson Park (Chicago).