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Dorothy Jean Phillips
Dorothy J. Phillips Portrait Simple 20191011.jpg
Dorothy J. Phillips, 2018
Born July 27, 1945
Nashville
Alma mater Tennessee State University
University of Cincinnati
Vanderbilt University
Known for Industrial chemistry
Bioseparation
Scientific career
Institutions Dow Chemical Company
Waters Corporation

Dorothy Jean Phillips (born July 27, 1945) is an American chemist. She is also a future president of the American Chemical Society. She worked on special ways to study chemicals and separate important substances from mixtures. In 1967, she made history as the first African-American woman to earn a bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University.

Early Life and Education

Dorothy grew up in the southern United States. This was during a time when Black and white people were kept separate by law. She was one of eight children in her family. Her father, Reverend Robert Cam Wingfield, worked at a bus station. He later became a Baptist minister. Her mother, Rebecca Cooper Wingfield, sometimes did housework for others. When Dorothy was young, the only white people she knew were those who hired her mother.

Her parents strongly supported her education. They attended meetings of the local Parent Teachers Association. Her family became more involved in the Civil Rights Movement after the Rosa Parks bus boycott in 1956. Her brother took part in the Nashville sit-ins. Her family was one of the first to help integrate Nashville, Tennessee.

Dorothy attended a summer science program for African-American students. This program inspired her to study chemistry. She later chose to major in chemistry at Tennessee State University. In 1966, she transferred to Vanderbilt University.

Dorothy first wanted to study medicine. However, her advisor thought it would be hard to have a family and go to medical school. She joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. She was also listed in "Who's Who Among American High School Students." In 1967, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry from Vanderbilt University. She was the first African-American woman to do so. At Vanderbilt, it was her first time having white classmates and teachers. After college, Dorothy worked in research on medicines for the mind. She then earned her PhD in biochemistry from the University of Cincinnati. Again, she was the first African-American woman in Cincinnati to get a PhD in biochemistry.

In 1973, she joined the American Chemical Society. She studied a virus called R17. She used special methods like circular dichroism to understand its proteins. While researching, she learned about the work of Patrick Oriel at Dow Chemical Company. This led her to apply for a job there.

Career in Chemistry

After finishing her studies, Dorothy joined the Dow Chemical Company. She started as a research scientist. She helped develop methods using circular dichroism. She also worked on antibiotics and herbicides. At Dow Chemical, Dorothy helped students from Michigan State University. They analyzed antibiotics in animal feed. She found out how these antibiotics might affect animal growth. She holds several patents for her work. These include ways to improve milk production and how animals use their food.

In 1984, Dorothy joined the Waters Corporation. She worked in research and development until 1996. At Waters Corporation, she helped create materials for chromatography. This is a method used to separate different substances. Her team developed "AccellPlus" materials. These could separate proteins. She also advised the biotechnology company Millipore Corp.. She traveled the world to talk about the work of Waters Corporation. Her work also included high-performance liquid chromatography. She studied small molecules, like the drug sildenafil. She became a Clinical Marketing Director and Strategic Marketing Director. She helped develop the Waters Corporation Symmetry columns and Oasis cartridges. At both Dow Chemical and Waters Corporation, Dorothy moved from research to business management. She retired from Waters Corporation in 2013 as Director of Strategic Marketing.

Academic Service and Leadership

In 1990, Dorothy became involved with the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society. She helped with Project SEED. This program allows high school students from less fortunate backgrounds to work in research labs during the summer. In 2013, Dorothy was chosen as a director-at-large for the American Chemical Society. She wanted to focus on global chemistry and chemical safety. Since 2014, she has helped the society's Science and Human Rights program. This program checks on scientists around the world whose rights might be taken away. She was re-elected in 2016. She aimed to improve the society's "globalization and diversity." In 2017, Vanderbilt University created two special fellowships in her honor. In 2019, she was re-elected for a third term on the board of directors for the American Chemical Society.

Awards and Recognitions

Dorothy Phillips has received many awards and honors:

Personal Life

Dorothy got married two weeks after graduating from Vanderbilt University. Her brother, Robert C. Wingfield, works as a director for an environmental program. She has two children, Anthony and Crystal, and a step-daughter named Vickie.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Dorothy J. Phillips para niños

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