Mildred Dresselhaus

Mildred Dresselhaus – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Discover the extraordinary life, pioneering scientific achievements, and timeless wisdom of Mildred Dresselhaus — “The Queen of Carbon Science.” Explore her biography, legacy, and inspiring quotes.

Introduction

Mildred Dresselhaus (née Spiewak; November 11, 1930 – February 20, 2017) was an American physicist, materials scientist, and nanotechnologist whose groundbreaking work transformed our understanding of carbon-based materials. Known as the “Queen of Carbon Science,” she made seminal contributions to studies on graphite, carbon nanotubes, and low-dimensional thermoelectrics.

Beyond her scientific achievements, Dresselhaus was a bold advocate for women in STEM, breaking many glass ceilings and mentoring generations of scientists. Her life story is one of perseverance, intellect, and purpose.

In this article, you will learn about her early life, education, scientific breakthroughs, personal philosophies, and enduring legacy.

Early Life and Family

Mildred Spiewak was born on November 11, 1930, in Brooklyn, New York, to Ethel (Teichtheil) and Meyer Spiewak, Polish-Jewish immigrants.

The family faced financial hardships. During the Great Depression, the Spiewaks relied on modest incomes; Mildred did piecework at home and helped contribute economically.

She also had musical interests: she attended the Greenwich House Music School on scholarship, the same music school her brother enrolled in. These early exposures to both arts and science helped shape her broad intellectual horizons.

Her older brother’s scholarship to a music school influenced the family’s relocation and affected Mildred’s educational path.

Youth and Education

In the Bronx public schools, she excelled academically. Later, she won admission to Hunter College High School, a selective institution in New York, where she often tutored classmates (including male veterans returning under the G.I. Bill) and developed her confidence and teaching skills.

She entered Hunter College (New York) for her undergraduate education and graduated in 1951 with a liberal arts degree, although she cultivated a strong interest in physics and mathematics.

After her undergraduate degree, Dresselhaus earned a Fulbright Fellowship to study at the University of Cambridge, then proceeded to Radcliffe College for her master’s degree, and finally obtained her PhD at the University of Chicago in 1958, where she studied under Enrico Fermi.

Her doctoral thesis revolved around superconductivity and microwave absorption in the presence of magnetic fields.

After completing her PhD, she spent two years as a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University, continuing her research in solid-state physics.

Career and Achievements

Early Career & Joining MIT

In 1960, Mildred Dresselhaus and her husband Gene Dresselhaus accepted positions at Lincoln Laboratory, affiliated with MIT, marking the start of her long tenure at MIT.

By 1967 she held the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Visiting Professorship in electrical engineering at MIT, became a tenured faculty member by 1968, and in 1983 became professor of physics. Institute Professor at MIT—a rank reserved for the most distinguished faculty.

During her time, she also took leadership roles: she helped initiate (in 1971) the first Women’s Forum at MIT to address the status and challenges of women in science.

Scientific Contributions

Dresselhaus’s scientific legacy centers on carbon-based materials, low-dimensional systems, and thermoelectrics.

  • She made foundational contributions in the study of graphite and graphite intercalation compounds (compounds where foreign atoms are inserted between graphene layers).

  • She and her group advanced understanding of fullerenes and carbon nanotubes, applying techniques like electronic band-structure analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and photophysics of nanostructures.

  • In thermoelectricity research, she co-developed the Hicks-Dresselhaus model, a pioneering theoretical framework for low-dimensional thermoelectric performance.

  • The Saito-Fujita-Dresselhaus model (which she co-authored) was among the first to predict the band structures of carbon nanotubes.

  • Her work on phonons, electron–phonon interactions, and thermal transport in nanostructures became central to modern nanoscience — for which she was awarded the Kavli Prize in Nanoscience in 2012.

Her research bridged fundamental physics and emerging technology: the knowledge about carbon nanostructures contributed to advancements in electronics, sensors, and energy applications.

Leadership & Public Service

Dresselhaus’s influence extended beyond the lab:

  • In 2000–2001, she served as Director of the Office of Science at the U.S. Department of Energy.

  • She held prominent leadership roles in scientific societies: she was President of the American Physical Society (APS), Chair of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Treasurer of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and served on the governing board of the American Institute of Physics.

  • She championed the advancement of women in science, mentoring many female scientists and supporting institutional changes (e.g., MIT Women’s Forum, Dresselhaus Fund, and visibility campaigns).

Honors and Awards

Dresselhaus’s career was decorated with many prestigious awards, reflecting her scientific and societal impact:

YearAward / Honor
1990National Medal of Science 2004IEEE Founders Medal 2005Heinz Award in Technology, Economy & Employment 2008Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize, Oersted Medal 2009Vannevar Bush Award 2012Enrico Fermi Award, Kavli Prize in Nanoscience 2014Presidential Medal of Freedom, induction into National Inventors Hall of Fame 2015IEEE Medal of Honor (first woman recipient)

She also received numerous honorary doctorates and international recognitions.

Historical Context & Milestones

Mildred Dresselhaus’s life and work must be understood in the broader context of 20th-century science and social change:

  • She came of age during a time when science and technology were emerging as central drivers of national progress, especially during the Cold War and the space race era. The U.S. scientific establishment expanded rapidly, offering both opportunities and challenges to new researchers, including women.

  • Despite institutional biases, she persisted. During her early career, women were highly underrepresented in physics; shortages notwithstanding, many departments were reluctant to hire or promote women.

  • In the 1970s and 1980s, academia increasingly confronted gender inequality, and Dresselhaus was part of that movement—her advocacy and example helped drive gradual institutional reform, especially at MIT.

  • As interest in nanoscience and low-dimensional materials surged, her earlier work positioned her at the forefront of a new field. Her research laid foundations that younger scientists could build upon — e.g., those isolating graphene or engineering carbon-based nanodevices.

  • Her leadership roles in government and societies reflect a growing trend of scientists stepping into policy and institutional governance in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Legacy and Influence

The legacy of Mildred Dresselhaus is profound and multifaceted:

  1. Scientific Legacy
    Her contributions to carbon science, nanotechnology, and thermoelectrics continue to influence research in materials science, electronics, energy harvesting, and quantum technologies.

  2. Mentorship & Women in STEM
    She mentored many scientists (e.g., Deborah Chung, Greg Timp, Nai-Chang Yeh) who became leaders in their fields.

  3. Institutional Honors and Programs
    The Mildred Dresselhaus Fund (by APS) supports women in physics. IEEE Mildred Dresselhaus Medal was established in her honor to recognize impactful scientific contributions in engineering & science.

  4. Cultural Impact
    In 2017, Dresselhaus appeared in a General Electric advertisement asking, “What if female scientists were celebrities?” highlighting the importance of visibility for women in science. Carbon Queen: The Remarkable Life of Nanoscience Pioneer Mildred Dresselhaus.

Her scientific influence and advocacy continue to inspire new generations of researchers and changemakers.

Personality, Talents, and Approach

Mildred Dresselhaus combined rigorous intellect with a warm spirit and humility. She was known for listening to mentees, giving thoughtful guidance, and being generous with her time.

She embraced flexibility and openness: she once advised that early in a career, “you bring new ideas to the field” — a perspective that encouraged innovation over conformity.

Dresselhaus balanced her roles as scientist, leader, mentor, and parent. She held leadership positions without relinquishing her scientific work — a testament to her belief that one need not choose between management and scientific passion.

She often reflected on her early hardships as integral to her character and resolve, saying, for instance, “People who have it too easy in early life have a disadvantage for later on, because they get to thinking that everything is going to be easy.”

Her discourse emphasized persistence, adaptability, humility, and mentorship — qualities that complemented her technical brilliance.

Famous Quotes of Mildred Dresselhaus

Here are some illuminating quotes that reflect her mindset and philosophy:

  • “Women have to go out of their way to prove themselves. Being a woman has helped my career more than it’s hindered it.”

  • “Follow your interests, get the best available education and training, set your sights high, be persistent, be flexible, keep your options open, accept help when offered, and be prepared to help others.”

  • “Some people don’t like competition, but competition is fine. It generates new ideas, keeps you alert.”

  • “Hunter High School was a real turning point for me. … I studied what I needed to know to pass the exam.”

  • “At my first job as an independent researcher at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, they told me I could work on most anything, but not what I knew something about. That is actually very good advice to a young person … because you bring new ideas to the field.”

  • “People who have it too easy in early life have a disadvantage for later on, because they get to thinking that everything is going to be easy.”

These words speak of her confidence, resilience, and desire to uplift others.

Lessons from Mildred Dresselhaus

From Dresselhaus’s extraordinary journey, we can draw valuable lessons:

  1. Rise above obstacles, but do not forget your roots.
    Her early hardships did not deter her — they shaped her empathy, resolve, and humility.

  2. Pursue interdisciplinary curiosity.
    Her interests in physics, materials science, and even music reflect a mind undeterred by discipline boundaries.

  3. Innovate boldly.
    Rather than repeating existing paradigms, Dresselhaus ventured into unexplored domains (e.g., carbon nanotubes, thermoelectrics) and left a lasting scientific stamp.

  4. Champion others as you advance.
    She leveraged her achievements to mentor, advocate, and institutionalize support for women scientists.

  5. Lead without abandoning your scientist’s core.
    Even when assuming administrative or leadership roles, she remained deeply connected to research.

  6. Embrace resilience and flexibility.
    Her advice about persistence, openness, and continual learning holds true for all ambitious paths.

Conclusion

Mildred Dresselhaus’s life is a story of intellect married to purpose. She pushed the frontiers of science while opening doors for those who followed. Through her pioneering work in carbon materials and her tireless advocacy for equity in science, she shaped not only what we know about the physical world, but also how science as a human endeavor can evolve.

Her legacy invites us — scientists, students, and citizens alike — to combine curiosity with courage, to break barriers with humility, and to mentor as well as we advance.

May her example continue to inspire new generations to explore, to question, and to open paths where none existed.

Articles by the author

The concept of graphene came along in 1947, but nobody paid much attention to it. I was fascinated because it had a linear E versus K while everything else that people were working on at that time had a quadratic dispersion relationship. I wondered why this was and what was so special about it. That was my fascination.

Mildred Dresselhaus