Rosemarie Wesson facts for kids

Rosemarie Wesson is an important scientist and engineer. She is currently the Associate Dean of Research at the City College of New York. She made history as the first African-American woman to earn a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan. Throughout her career, she has worked at major organizations like the National Science Foundation, Louisiana State University, and Dow Chemical Company.

Early Life and Education

Rosemarie Wesson was born in Illinois. She became interested in science and went on to study chemical engineering at the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

After finishing her degree at MIT, she started working at the Dow Chemical Company. There, she was a researcher focusing on polymer rheology. This is a field that studies how materials like plastics flow and change shape.

In 1988, she earned her PhD from the University of Michigan. This was a very special achievement because she was the first African-American woman to get a PhD in chemical engineering from that university. Her PhD research looked at how to use computers to understand how certain materials flow. She has since returned to the University of Michigan to share her knowledge and has even won an award from them.

Career Highlights

After getting her PhD, Dr. Wesson went back to work at the Dow Chemical Company. She then became a professor of chemical engineering at Louisiana State University in 1991. While teaching there, she received awards for both her excellent teaching and her research.

Later, she worked as a main researcher at the Battele Memorial Lab. She also took on another role at Dow, leading research in their Corporate Materials Science Research and Development Lab.

Work at the National Science Foundation

In 2001, Dr. Wesson joined the National Science Foundation (NSF). She worked there for 13 years. The NSF is a government agency that supports science and engineering research. Her work focused on making chemistry, engineering, and materials more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

As a Program Director at the NSF, she helped manage research projects for both small businesses and universities. These projects covered important areas like energy, nanotechnology (working with tiny materials), and new research opportunities. She also focused on how to separate chemicals and biological materials. For her great work, she received special awards from the NSF Director. She also taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, College Park.

After her time at the NSF, Dr. Wesson became a principal researcher at the Battelle Memorial Institute. There, she helped develop a new technology called the Odyssey Atlasphere.

Leadership Roles

In 2015, Dr. Wesson became the Dean of Research at the City College of New York. This is a big leadership role where she helps guide the research efforts of the college.

She is also a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). This means she is recognized as a top expert in her field. She has served on their board of directors and won an award in 2014 for her work supporting minority groups in chemical engineering. She also helps the American Society for Engineering Education. In 2018, she made history again by becoming the first woman treasurer of AIChE.

Research Contributions

Dr. Wesson has written many important papers about her research. Her work includes studying how polymers (like plastics) form crystals, how the structure of materials affects their properties, and using computer analysis to understand how polymers flow. Her research helps us better understand and create new materials.