Jean'ne Shreeve facts for kids

Jean'ne Marie Shreeve, born in 1933, is an American scientist. She is famous for her work with fluorine compounds and explosives. Since 2004, she has held a special professorship named after her at the University of Idaho.

Early Life and Education

Jean'ne Shreeve was born in Deer Lodge, Montana in 1933. She was the second child of Mary-Frances and Charles W. Shreeve. Her name came from a popular song from 1928. Jean'ne's father worked for the Northern Pacific Railway. Her mother, a teacher, did not work much when Jean'ne was young. This was because of the Great Depression and the idea that only one parent needed to work. Later, her mother taught in public schools for 40 years. Jean'ne was very close to her older brother, William.

She went to public schools in Montana. After graduating from Thompson Falls High School, she received a full scholarship. This scholarship allowed her to attend the University of Montana. While there, she worked in the library and the chemistry department. She also played sports, was in the band, and joined a sorority. In 1953, Shreeve earned her bachelor's degree in chemistry. For a year, she taught math at Missoula County High School.

She then continued her studies. In 1956, she earned her master's degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Minnesota. Later, in 1961, she received her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Washington. At the University of Washington, she worked with a fluorine chemist named George Cady. This work made her very interested in the field of fluorine chemistry.

Career and Research

After finishing her Ph.D. in 1961, Dr. Shreeve became an assistant professor of chemistry. She joined the University of Idaho. She stayed there for her entire career. Sometimes, she was a visiting professor at other places, like the University of Cambridge. The National Science Foundation helped fund her time at Cambridge.

She was promoted to full professor at the University of Idaho in 1967. In 1973, she became the head of the chemistry department. Later, in 1987, she became a vice president at the university.

Early in her career at Idaho, Malcolm Renfrew helped her. He guided her as she set up her lab and started publishing her research. At Cambridge, Harry Emeléus, a famous organic chemist, was her mentor. He remained her friend and guide for the rest of his life. Dr. Shreeve also spent a year in Europe. She lectured and worked at the University of Bristol and the University of Göttingen. There, she worked with Oskar Glemser.

Dr. Shreeve has spent much of her career supporting women chemists. She also championed research into fluorine chemistry. She served on many committees for the American Chemical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She is also known for her teaching and for guiding about 130 researchers.

Throughout her career, Dr. Shreeve has written 663 scientific papers. She also earned one patent. She is known for working with special compounds. These compounds contain nitrogen and fluorine and are very energetic. She also created many rocket propellant oxidizers. These are chemicals used to help rocket fuel burn.

Dr. Shreeve's work includes new ways to make chlorodifluoroamine and dinitrogen difluoride. These chemicals are used to make rocket propellant oxidizers. Before her work, it was hard to make enough of them to use. She also made fluorinated alkyl sulfoxides. She did this by carefully controlling how bis(perfluoroalkyl) sulfur dioxides reacted with water.

Honors and Awards

• National Science Foundation Fellow (1967-1968)
• Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Montana (1970)
• Alfred P. Sloan Fellow (1970-1972)
• Garvan-Olin Medal, American Chemical Society (1972)
• Honorable Alumna, University of Idaho (1972)
• National Director, Iota Sigma Pi (1972-1975)
• Senior U.S. Scientist Award, Alexander Von Humboldt Foundation (1978)
• Award for Creative Work in Fluorine Chemistry, American Chemical Society (1978)
• President, Idaho Academy of Science (1978-1979)
• College Chemistry Teaching Award, Manufacturing Chemists Association (1979)
• Fellow, AAAS (1980)
• Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Montana (1982)
• Board of Directors, American Chemical Society (1985-1991)
• Chair of Chemistry Section, AAAS (1989)
• Board of Directors, AAAS (1991-1995)
• Harry and Carol Mosher Award, Santa Clara Valley Section, American Chemical Society
• Idaho Hall of Fame (2001)
• Member, Royal Society of Chemistry