Lois Aileen Bey facts for kids

Lois Aileen Bey, born on May 8, 1929, is an American chemical engineer. She faced many challenges because she was a woman in a field mostly for men. On June 9, 1950, she made history. She became the first woman to graduate from the chemical engineering program at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). At that time, she was the only woman in the program. Her graduation ceremony happened at the Civic Opera House.

Early Life and Family

Lois Bey did not come from a family of engineers. However, she believes she got her amazing long-term memory from her father. Neither of her parents went to college. Lois faced unfair treatment from a young age. Her mother had wanted a boy when Lois was born. This was because her older brother, Roy, had health problems.

Lois's parents had traditional roles. Her mother wanted to get married to avoid being alone. She made a list of what she wanted in a husband. One thing was that he had to be entertaining. Lois's father, Leroy Karl Bey, was a pianist. He played for famous singers like Sophie Tucker and Ethel Merman. Her mother convinced him to ask her to marry him within six months.

During the Great Depression, Lois spent time with other kids in her neighborhood. She enjoyed this because she could do things not available at home. She could read books, visit parks, and go to zoos.

Lois Bey's Education

When Lois was four, a kindergarten teacher found her. Her mother had forgotten to arrange for someone to pick her up. The teacher noticed Lois was very smart and spoke well. So, Lois started kindergarten a year early. She was a very curious child and loved to read. She often asked how things worked. Her family moved to Chicago that year, so she had to take kindergarten again.

Lois skipped another year in elementary school. This meant she finished high school just one month after turning seventeen. She chose to attend Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). It was the most convenient school and had the cheapest tuition.

Facing Challenges in Engineering

Lois took IIT's entrance exam for engineering. Her mother had warned her against it. Lois later said, "I was a stubborn child and ignored what she told me." She was the only girl among eleven high school graduates taking the exam. The ten boys found out they failed. But they knew one person got a scholarship. IIT did not send Lois her score. They said it was a "clerical error."

Later, she learned the truth. IIT did not want to give scholarship money to a woman who chose engineering. They thought she would not finish the program. They believed she was only going to school to find a husband. By the time IIT accepted her, she did not have the money to attend.

History of IIT's Chemical Engineering

In 1901, IIT's College of Engineering started a Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering. This department is one of the oldest chemical engineering programs in the United States. Charles W. Pierce was one of the first to earn a chemical engineering degree from this program. He was also one of the first African American chemical engineers in the nation. Forty-nine years later, Lois Bey became the first woman to graduate from their chemical engineering program.

Lois Bey's Career

"I just hope that today’s young ladies don’t face the discrimination I faced before college, during college and after college."
– Lois Bey

Lois Bey faced a lot of unfair treatment as a female engineer. Many companies did not want to hire a woman as an engineer. Once she got a job, she sometimes had to leave. This was because her supervisor treated her unfairly. She faced similar problems at two other companies.

Lois started her career doing hands-on research in labs. She learned about large industrial chemical equipment. Her job titles included lab technician and assistant engineer.

She began working at Edwal Laboratories. Then she moved to Underwriters Laboratories and the Armour Research Institute. This institute is now called IIT Research Institute. In 1956, Lois became a sales engineer for F.M. De Beers, Assoc. There, she sold and fixed equipment.

In 1960, Lois started working at Baxter Laboratories. While there, she earned a master's degree in Library and Information Science. She used both her degrees to become an information specialist. She worked in chemical research and development departments. In 1993, Lois Bey retired from Stepan Chemical Company.

After retiring, she was an active member of important groups. These included the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She was also part of the American Society of Information Science.

Awards and Recognition

In September 2001, Dr. Ahmed Zewail gave a special lecture. He was a Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 1999. The lecture celebrated 100 years of chemical engineering at IIT. During this event, the department chairman, Dr. Hamid Arastoopour, gave Lois Bey an award. It was the IIT Distinguished Alumni Award. The award had a plaque that said: "In recognition of her pioneering role as the first female graduate in chemical engineering at IIT, her commitment, and her contribution to the chemical engineering profession."

Societies and Legacy

Lois Bey is a lifelong member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). She joined the Society in 1953. In 2017, SWE created the Lois Aileen Bey Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship helps U.S. citizens who are starting their first year of college in chemical engineering.

She was also a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Society of Information Science. Patricia Brown, who was a past president of SWE, recognized Lois Bey as a pioneer. She helped open doors for all women engineers.