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Interview no.: 0171
Date of interview: 2 June 1998
Location: Little Rock, Arkansas
No. of pages: 60
Interviewer:
James G. Traynham
Minutes:
Access level: Free Access. Users may view, quote from, cite, or reproduce the oral history with the permission of CHF. Users citing interviews for purposes of publication are obliged under the terms of the CHF Oral History Program to notify CHF of publication and credit CHF using the following format: [Name of interviewee], interview by [name of interviewer] at [interview location], [interview date] (Philadelphia: Chemical Heritage Foundation, Oral History Transcript # [interview number]).
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Mary Good begins the interview with a discussion of her family history, her childhood, and her early education. Her family moved from Texas to Arkansas in 1942, when her father was offered a principalship in Kirby. Good had very little science education in high school, and attended Arkansas State Teacher’s College to become a home economics teacher. However, her interest in science was piqued by a freshman chemistry course, and Good soon became a chemistry and physics double-major. Her chemistry professor encouraged her to go on to graduate school, and she accepted a fellowship at the University of Arkansas to study radiochemistry with Raymond Edwards. She received her Ph.D. in 1955, and accepted a position at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Her early work included iodine and sulfur chemistry and managing the radiochemistry laboratory. She moved to the brand-new New Orleans campus in 1958, where her research moved away from radiochemistry and into spectroscopy. In 1974, Good became a Boyd Professor at LSU. She soon returned to the Baton Rouge campus to help establish a materials science program. In 1980, Good left academia to join United Oil Products as vice president and director of research. Soon thereafter, corporate mergers led to the creation of AlliedSignal. Good discusses her extensive involvement in the American Chemical Society, including her time as chairman of the board and later as president. In 1980, Good was appointed to the National Science Board by President Carter, and was reappointed by President Reagan. In 1991, President Bush appointed her to the President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Good discusses the support she received from AlliedSignal during this time. In 1993, Good left AlliedSignal to become the Under Secretary for Technology in the Department of Commerce. When she left the Department of Commerce four years later, Good joined Venture Capital Investors, which seeks to stimulate the creation of technology-intensive companies. Good concludes the interview with a discussion of her awards and honors, her family, and professional women in general.
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| Title & Description |
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Page No. |
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Family Background and Early Education
Grandparents. Moving from Texas to Arkansas. Influence of parents. Attending Willisville High School. |
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1 |
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College Education and Graduate School
Decision to attend Arkansas State Teacher’s College. Intent to teach home economics. Becoming a chemistry/physics double-major. Influence of chemistry professor. Campus activities. Fellowship at University of Arkansas. Interest in radiochemistry. Marie Curie as a role model. Working with Raymond Edwards. Research for the Atomic Energy Commission [AEC]. Radioisotopes. Marriage and family. |
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3 |
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Louisiana State University [LSU]
Decision to join the faculty at LSU in Baton Rouge. Colleagues. Learning to teach. AEC grants. Iodine chemistry and sulfur chemistry with Sean McGlynn. Colleagues at LSU. Managing the radiochemistry laboratory. Moving to the New Orleans campus. Interest in spectroscopy. Becoming Boyd Professor. Friction between LSU campuses. Returning to Baton Rouge campus. Materials science program. Relationship between chemistry and engineering. |
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8 |
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United Oil Products [UOP] and AlliedSignal
Recruitment as vice president and director for research at UOP. Modernizing computer equipment. Corporate merger. Becoming AlliedSignal. Joint ventures. |
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23 |
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American Chemical Society [ACS]
Involvement in local sections. Meetings and Expositions Committee. Election to Board of Directors. Running for president. Publications Committee. Chairman of the Board. Influence on Chemical Abstracts Service. |
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30 |
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Government Roles
Appointment to National Science Board by President Carter. Impressions of the National Science Foundation. Joining President’s Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Problems of technology policy. Support of AlliedSignal. Becoming Under Secretary for Technology in Department of Commerce. Government support for R&D. |
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34 |
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Retirement
Working for Venture Capital Investors. Consulting. Awards and honors. Family. |
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44 |
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Notes
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53 |
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Index
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54 |
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| 1950 |
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B.S., Chemistry, University of Central Arkansas |
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| 1953 |
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M.S., Chemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville |
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| 1955 |
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Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville |
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| Louisiana State University |
| 1954-1958 |
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Instructor and Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Baton Rouge |
| 1958-1963 |
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Associate Professor of Chemistry, New Orleans |
| 1963-1974 |
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Professor of Chemistry, New Orleans |
| 1974-1978 |
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Boyd Professor of Chemistry, New Orleans |
| 1978-1980 |
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Boyd Professor of Materials Science, Division of Engineering Research, Baton Rouge |
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| United Oil Products |
| 1980-1985 |
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Vice President-Director of Research, Corporate Research Center |
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| AlliedSignal Research and Technology Laboratory |
| 1985-1986 |
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President-Director of Research, Signal Research Center, Inc. |
| 1986-1988 |
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President-Engineered Materials Research |
| 1988-1993 |
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Senior Vice President-Technology |
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| U.S. Department of Commerce |
| 1993-1997 |
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Under Secretary, Technology Administration |
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| Venture Capital Investors, LLC |
| 1997-Present |
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Managing Member |
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| University of Arkansas, Little Rock |
| 1997-Present |
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Donaghey University Professor |
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| 1969 |
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Agnes Faye Morgan Research Award
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| 1973 |
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Distinguished Alumnae Citation, University of Arkansas
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| 1973 |
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Garvan Medal, American Chemical Society
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| 1974 |
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American Institute of Chemists Honor Scroll, Louisiana Chapter
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| 1975 |
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Herty Medal, American Chemical Society, Georgia Section
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| 1979 |
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Florida Award, American Chemical Society, Florida Section
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| 1982 |
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Scientist of the Year, Industrial Research and Development Magazine
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| 1983 |
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Gold Medal, American Institute of Chemists
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| 1986 |
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Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science
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| 1987 |
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Elected Member, National Academy of Engineering
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| 1988 |
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Delmer S. Fahrney Medal, Franklin Institute
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| 1990 |
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New Jersey Women of Achievement Award, Douglass College at Rutgers University
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| 1991 |
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Charles Lathrop Parsons Award, American Chemical Society
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| 1991 |
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Industrial Research Institute Medalist Award
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| 1991 |
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ASM International Distinguished Life Membership Award, The Materials Information Society
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| 1991 |
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American Association of State Colleges and Universities Distinguished Alumnus Award
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| 1992 |
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American Association for the Advancement of Science Award
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| 1992 |
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Distinguished Public Service Award, National Science Foundation
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| 1992 |
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Albert Fox Demers Medal Award, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
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| 1993 |
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Ralph Coats Roe Medal, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
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| 1994 |
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Fellow, Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
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| 1995 |
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Honorary Fellowship, The Royal Society of Chemistry
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| 1996 |
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Earle B. Barnes Award for Leadership in Chemical Research Management, Dow Chemical Company
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| 1996 |
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UCLA Glenn T. Seaborg Medal
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| 1996 |
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Federation of Materials Societies National Materials Advancement Award
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| 1997 |
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Priestley Medal, American Chemical Society
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| 1998 |
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Othmer Gold Medal Award, the founding members and affiliates of the Chemical Heritage Foundation
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| 1999 |
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Philip Abelson Award, American Association for the Advancement of Science
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James G. Traynham is a Professor of Chemistry at Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. He holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Northwestern University. He joined Louisiana State University in 1953 and served as chemistry department chairperson from 1968 to 1973. He was chairman of the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry in 1988 and is currently councilor of the Baton Rouge section of the American Chemical Society. He was a member of the American Chemical Society’s Joint-Board Council on Chemistry and Public Affairs, as well as a member of the Society’s Committees on Science, Chemical Education, and Organic Chemistry Nomenclature. He has written over ninety publications, including a book on organic nomenclature and a book on the history of organic chemistry.
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