Jennie Patrick facts for kids

Jennie Patrick (born 1949) is an American chemical engineer and educator. She made history in 1979 at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) by becoming one of the first African American women in the United States to earn a doctorate in traditional chemical engineering. Dr. Patrick also did important work on a process called supercritical fluid extraction. Throughout her career, she has been dedicated to helping and guiding African American and female students in science and engineering.

Early Life and School Days

Jennie Patrick was born on January 1, 1949, in Gadsden, Alabama. She was the fourth of five children. Her parents, James and Elizabeth Patrick, had limited schooling but strongly believed that education was the key to a better life. They bought encyclopedias for their children and encouraged them to read books from the local library.

Jennie was a very curious child. She loved to understand "why things were, and how things operated." Living in a rural area, she felt close to nature, which made her even more eager to learn how things worked.

Her early schools were segregated, meaning Black and white students attended separate schools. Jennie remembers her fifth-grade teacher, Mr. Anthony Knowledges, who taught her advanced math. Her sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Pinkie Bridges, inspired her to believe she could "achieve anything."

Integrating High School

In 1964, Jennie Patrick was part of a group of African American students who helped integrate Gadsden City High School. This happened after the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, which said that segregated schools were illegal. Jennie wanted to be a chemist and knew Gadsden High had the best science equipment, which was not available in the Black schools. She went to the school with one goal: "to get the best education I could possibly get."

At Gadsden High, Jennie faced unfair treatment and harsh words from some students and teachers. There were also protesters against integration. She described the first few months as "a living nightmare." Despite the challenges, her parents supported her, even though families of Black students in integrated schools faced threats. Jennie stayed focused and determined. She graduated with honors in 1967, though she was not allowed to join the National Honor Society because she was African American.

Jennie Patrick's Education Journey

Jennie Patrick received a scholarship offer from the University of California at Berkeley, which was her dream school. However, her mother wanted her to study closer to home. So, Jennie first attended Tuskegee University (then called Tuskegee Institute) in Alabama on a scholarship. She started studying chemical engineering there.

Challenges at University

At Tuskegee, the head of the chemical engineering department was not supportive of her choice to major in chemical engineering. When that program ended, she transferred to Berkeley. She no longer had a scholarship, so she worked for a year to save money for her studies. She also worked every summer to pay her way through college.

Jennie graduated from Berkeley in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. She was the only African American female undergraduate in chemical engineering and the first African American chemical engineering student at Berkeley in ten years. During her time at Berkeley, some students and faculty made her feel unwelcome and even damaged her work. She credits these tough experiences with helping her become mentally strong and independent.

Earning Her Doctorate at MIT

After Berkeley, Jennie went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to earn her doctorate (Sc.D.) in chemical engineering. She "always wanted the highest education possible" and felt she needed to complete this step. MIT was one of the top engineering schools in the U.S. She found MIT to be a more positive place for Black students in science and engineering.

Jennie was a very dedicated student, often working seven days a week. She studied important topics like how heat and mass move and how new substances form. Her advisor was Robert C. Reid, a famous expert in how substances behave. In 1979, she earned her Sc.D. in chemical engineering. She was the first African American woman to achieve a doctorate in this field. Her research focused on "superheating," which is when a liquid gets hotter than its normal boiling point without turning into a gas.

Her Work and Contributions

After graduating from MIT, Dr. Patrick joined the General Electric Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York. For three and a half years, she worked as a research engineer. She helped create a program for supercritical fluid extraction technology. This is a special high-pressure method used to separate and purify substances. She became one of the leading experts in this field in the country.

Leading New Technologies

Later, she led a new, advanced supercritical fluid extraction technology program at the Philip Morris Research Center in Richmond, Virginia. There, she designed a special pilot plant and used the technology to extract flavors and essences from tobacco.

In 1985, she became the Manager of Fundamental Chemical Engineering Research at Rohm and Haas in Bristol, Pennsylvania. Besides her work on supercritical fluid extraction, she also researched polymers (large molecules) and emulsion technology. She managed a research section for five years, handling both technical and management duties. She explained that her team was "the brain power for making sure that their plants ran well, making sure that we developed new technology."

From 1990 to 1993, she worked as an assistant to the vice president at Southern Company Services in Birmingham, Alabama. During this time, she also taught as a part-time professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and at Georgia Institute of Technology.

Returning to Tuskegee University

In 1993, Dr. Patrick moved from working in industry to teaching at a university. She returned to Tuskegee University as a professor of chemical engineering. She also became the first scientist to hold the 3M Eminent Scholar's Chair at the university. From 1993 to 1997, she focused on research and, importantly, on helping minority students interested in science and engineering.

At Tuskegee, she created a mentoring program for girls in science. She taught students how to succeed even in difficult situations. She even lived in a dorm with honor students she chose to mentor, wanting to share her experiences and guide them. She said, "Being here (at Tuskegee) provides me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of students."

After leaving Tuskegee in 1997, she worked as a technical consultant and studied how urban children are educated.

Dr. Patrick believes that her career in industry meant she didn't have many published papers, as companies sometimes keep new ideas secret or don't give credit for revolutionary work.

Environmental Wellness

During her career in the chemical industry, Dr. Patrick was exposed to many chemicals. This affected her health. Since retiring in 2000, she has worked to create the Environmental Wellness Institute. Her goal is to teach people about environmental dangers. She also founded Education and Environmental Solutions in Peachtree City, Georgia, where she still works as a consultant.

Awards and Recognition

Jennie Patrick has received many awards for her achievements:

• In 1980, she received the Outstanding Women in Science and Engineering Award from the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE).
• She is a member of important organizations like the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Sigma Xi, and NOBCChE.
• In 1984, Tuskegee University gave her an Honorary Doctor of Science degree.
• That same year, she received a Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women.
• She received the Presidential Citation from the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education in 1987.
• She was included in the World's Who's Who of Women in 1989.
• In 2000, she received the William W. Grimes Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
• In 2008, she received the Black Achievers in Chemical Engineering Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Personal Life and Advice

Jennie Patrick found it challenging to balance her demanding career with her personal life and family. She always valued her family above everything else. One reason she moved back to Alabama was to care for her elderly parents.

She is married to a physician who was also a chemical engineer. She describes him as her "very best friend." Since retiring, she enjoys gardening, which she calls her "quiet time" to connect with nature.

Dr. Patrick offers important advice to young scientists: "You need to know who you are, you need to be comfortable with yourself, you need to love yourself, and you need to respect yourself. Then everything else becomes secondary. Achieve the highest goals possible but don't allow achievements alone to define who you are. Make the decision early. Don't let material things or world recognition be your driving force."