Lois Graham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lois Graham
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| Born | 1925 Troy, New York, US
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| Died | 4 November 2013 (aged 87–88) |
| Other names | Lois Graham McDowell |
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Lois Graham (1925 – November 4, 2013) was a pioneering professor. She taught about heat and energy (thermodynamics) and super cold temperatures (cryogenics). She made history as the first woman in the United States to earn a PhD in mechanical engineering.
Graham is remembered for helping many young women. She encouraged them to pursue careers in science and engineering. She taught for almost 40 years at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). Graham also started IIT's Women in Science and Engineering program. This program helped high school girls get excited about science and engineering jobs.
Early Life and Education
Lois Graham was born in 1925 in Troy, New York. She was one of three children. She first wanted to be a doctor, but medical school was too expensive.
Graham also admired the famous pilot Amelia Earhart. She thought about becoming a pilot or flight attendant. But these jobs had strict height and weight limits back then. Graham said she "outgrew that career."
Studying at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
After high school in 1942, Graham planned to attend a teachers college. That summer, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) changed its rules. RPI, where Graham's father taught, decided to admit female students for the first time. Children of employees could also attend for free.
Graham quickly enrolled. She was one of the first four women ever admitted to RPI. She followed a fast-paced study plan during World War II. In 1946, Graham became one of the first two women to graduate from RPI. She was also the first woman from RPI to earn a degree in mechanical engineering.
Graduate Studies at Illinois Institute of Technology
After graduating from RPI, Graham worked as an engineer at the Carrier Corporation. She left after 18 months to get her master's degree. She tried to apply to other top schools. However, they either did not accept women or had other reasons for rejection.
Finally, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) offered her a teaching assistant job. Graham said she was getting "bored" at her job. She decided going back to school would help her gain more experience.
Degrees Earned
- Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering (B.S.ME), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 1946
- Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering (M.S.ME), Illinois Institute of Technology, 1949
- Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering (Ph.D.ME), Illinois Institute of Technology, 1959
Career Highlights
In 1949, Graham became the first female teacher in IIT's engineering department. She was also the first female graduate student in their Mechanical, Materials, and Aerospace Engineering program. IIT even had to turn a small closet into a women's restroom for her! Later that year, she earned her master's degree. She was the first woman at IIT to do so.
Early in her career, people noticed Graham because she was a woman in a field mostly for men. In September 1953, she was featured in Popular Science magazine. The article showed her picture and said she taught thermodynamics. It also mentioned she was happy that more women were studying engineering.
Leading the Society of Women Engineers
Graham was a dedicated member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). She joined in 1952, just two years after it started. At SWE, Graham worked hard to increase the number of women in engineering, science, and math careers.
She wrote articles for SWE. These articles said that young women needed better career advice. She also argued for more efforts to recruit women into engineering. This would help solve the shortage of engineers in the country.
Graham was the fourth national president of SWE from 1955 to 1956. In 1955, SWE released a 40-page report called Women in Engineering. This report aimed to change how the public viewed female engineers. It listed engineering programs and scholarships for women. It also included facts about women in engineering. SWE sent this booklet to over 400 high schools and many colleges. It was so popular that a new edition was printed in 1958.
First Woman with a Mechanical Engineering PhD
In 1959, Graham earned her PhD from IIT. This made her the first woman in the U.S. to get a PhD in mechanical engineering. Her doctoral research focused on how things burn (combustion). Her thesis was about how adding a combustible material affects a flame.
In 1974, Graham became an assistant director for Engineering and Science. The next year, she became a full professor. This was a rare achievement for a woman at that time. She also directed IIT's Minorities in Engineering Program. In 1979, she was recognized as a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow.
IIT's Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Program
In 1981, Graham started IIT's Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program. WISE connected female high school students with women engineers. These engineers worked in companies, government, and universities. They also connected students with college students. The goal was to get more women to enroll in college engineering programs.
WISE had three main goals:
- Encourage high school girls to pursue STEM careers.
- Let them try hands-on activities in math and science fields.
- Help them prepare for an engineering degree. This included advice on choosing courses and applying to colleges.
WISE offered free programs in the fall, winter, and summer. Girls attended college lectures and met engineers. They also worked on projects like building a generator or planning a moon colony. WISE also taught parents, teachers, and counselors about STEM opportunities for young women.
Retirement and Legacy
After 39 years at IIT, Graham retired in 1985. She moved back to New York. In 1999, IIT students gave her the "Person of the Millennium" award. Graham said this award was one she "prized above all others."
Lois Graham passed away on November 4, 2013, at age 88. An obituary called her a "pioneer and role model" for thousands of female mechanical engineers.
In 2015, IIT gave Graham a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Impact and Influence
A 2007 article called Outstanding Women in Mechanical Engineering praised Graham. It said she was known for her teaching in thermodynamics and cryogenics. RPI stated that Graham's career "paved the way for women and minority engineers." IIT called her a "pioneer in the field of mechanical engineering."
Graham believed that "a woman can do anything if she wants to." She said it's about using your brain to solve problems. One of her students, Sherita Caesar, was inspired by Graham. Graham encouraged Caesar to teach others. This helped Caesar overcome her fear of presenting her master's thesis.
Graham is also recognized for her work with SWE and ASHRAE. She was the first woman fellow at ASHRAE. She helped improve career advice for young women. She also recruited many young women into science and engineering fields.
Awards, Honors, and Memberships
- Fellow Life Member and National President (1955–1956), Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
- National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow (1979)
- Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) Professional Achievement Award (1980)
- IIT Julie Beveridge Award (1991)
- IIT Person of the Millennium (1999)
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Hall of Fame (2003)
- American Association of University Women Named Scholarship Honoree (2010–2011)
- Nominee, National Women's History Project National Women's History Month Honoree (2013)
- IIT Lifetime Achievement Award (2015)
- First female Fellow, American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
- Member, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
- Member, American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE)
- Member, American Association of University Women (AAUW)
- Member, Phi Tau Sigma
- Member, Tau Beta Pi
- Member, Sigma Xi
Support for Arts, Education, and Nature
Graham's obituary mentioned she supported the arts, education, and nature conservation. In the late 1990s, she and her husband became founding members of The Wild Center in New York. This center was a finalist for a national museum award in 2015.
