Sally Chapman

Sally Chapman's oral history begins with a discussion of her childhood in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, area and her early aptitude in math. Chapman's interest in science was fostered both by her "tinkerer" father and by the nationwide interest in innovative science education that occurred after Sputnik. She chose Smith College and, after some first-semester difficulties and courses in both physics and chemistry, Chapman found her love for chemistry. She worked for the Quaker Chemical Corporation, where she assisted technicians and experienced basic, day-to-day activities in a lab. Although her senior year thesis on calorimetry was an experimental nightmare, the project did provide her with computing experience and knowledge. Realizing she was not ready for graduate school as she completed undergraduate work at Smith, Chapman became a computer programmer at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in New York.

After her stint in New York, Chapman decided to pursue graduate school; she chose Yale University, where she worked with Raymond Suplinskas on Hot Atom Chemistry. But at the end of Chapman's second year, Suplinskas left and the physical chemistry faculty at Yale was decimated. Chapman continued with her graduate work, providing much detail about this period of time in her studies, and benefited much from the work and assistance of John Tully and Richard Preston. At the end of her graduate study, she undertook two post-doctoral positions, learning about the practice of science from her advisors. After the post-doctoral positions, Chapman faced difficulties in the job market, including being interviewed only because she was a woman, and not because she had any chance to get the job. This made her think about and reflect upon her experiences as an undergraduate tutor in Mississippi and her other experiences during the Civil Rights Movement. 

The interview concludes with Chapman's beliefs about the atmosphere at Yale for women, along with a discussion of the trajectory of numbers of women faculty at other universities. She recounts her impressions of the factors that went into her hiring at Barnard College: the role of Bernice, Segal, the woman who hired her; the close relationship between Barnard and Columbia University, especially between the chemistry departments; and Barnard's status as an undergraduate university. In addition, Chapman talks about her work in the community of women in chemistry, which has included the Committee on the Advancement of Women Chemists (COACh), advising and mentoring students, and various other activities to strengthen the community of women in science.

University of California, Irvine

1973 - 1974

Postdoctorate, Chemistry, under Donald L. Bunker

University of California, Berkeley

1974 - 1975

Postdoctorate, Chemistry, under William H. Miller

Barnard College

1975 - 1981 Assistant Professor, Chemistry

Barnard College

1981 - 1986 Associate Professor, Chemistry

Barnard College

1986 - Present Professor, Chemistry

Barnard College

1989 - 1994 Ann Whitney Olin Professor

Hilary Domush

Hilary Domush completed a B.S. in chemistry at Bates College before earning an M.S. in organic chemistry and an M.A. in the history of science at the University of Wisconsin. As a graduate student, her research focused on 19th-century chemistry in Edinburgh.

As program associate for the oral history program, Domush helps manage the program and conducts oral histories for the Women in Chemistry project.