Elsa Reichmanis

Elsa Reichmanis begins the interview with a description of her family's immigration to the United States and her childhood years in Syracuse, New York. Reichmanis developed an interest in chemistry after taking a high school chemistry course. After graduating a year early from high school, she enrolled at Syracuse University. While obtaining her B.S. in chemistry, Reichmanis performed heteroaromatic chemistry research in Apostolos G. Anastassiou's laboratory. Completing her degree in three years, she decided to remain at Syracuse University for her Ph.D. Upon matriculation, Reichmanis took a technical staff position at AT&T Bell Laboratories, which is currently known as Bell Labs, Lucent Technologies, where she still remains. Reichmanis' work has focused on deep-UV lithography, such as the creation of 248 nm and 193 nm resist technologies. Currently, she is performing photonic research. While at Bell Labs, Reichmanis has held numerous positions ranging from technical staff to supervisor to director. Elsa Reichmanis concludes the interview with a discussion of Valerie J. Kuck's research on women in chemistry, the definition of innovation, and the future of chemistry.

Syracuse University

1972 - 1972 Organic Chemistry Teaching Assistant

Syracuse University

1973 - 1975 Research Fellow

Syracuse University

1975 - 1976 Postdoctoral Intern

Syracuse University

1976 - 1978 Dr. Chaim Weizmann Fellow

AT&T Bell Laboratories

1978 - 1984 Technical Staff, Organic Chemistry Research and Development Department

AT&T Bell Laboratories

1984 - 1994 Supervisor, Radiation Sensitive and Applications Group

AT&T Bell Laboratories

1994 - 1995 Head, Polymer and Organic Materials Research Department

Bell Laboratories, Lucent Technologies

1996 Director, Polymer and Organic Materials Research Department

David C. Brock

David C. Brock is a senior research fellow with the Center for Contemporary History and Policy at the Chemical Heritage Foundation. As a historian of science and technology, he specializes in the history of semiconductor science, technology, and industry; the history of instrumentation; and oral history. Brock has studied the philosophy, sociology, and history of science at Brown University, the University of Edinburgh, and Princeton University.

In the policy arena Brock recently published Patterning the World: The Rise of Chemically Amplified Photoresists, a white-paper case study for the Center’s Studies in Materials Innovation. With Hyungsub Choi he is preparing an analysis of semiconductor technology roadmapping, having presented preliminary results at the 2009 meeting of the Industry Studies Association.