CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION UMA CHOWDHRY. Transcript of an Interview Conducted by. Hilary Domush. Experimental Station Wilmington, Delaware

Transcription

1 CHEMICAL HERITAGE FOUNDATION UMA CHOWDHRY Transcript of an Interview Conducted by Hilary Domush at Experimental Station Wilmington, Delaware on 24 and 25 August 2011 (With Subsequent Corrections and Additions)

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3 This oral history is designated Free Access. Please note: Users citing this interview for purposes of publication are obliged under the terms of the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) Center for Oral History to credit CHF using the format below: Uma Chowdhry, interview by Hilary Domush at Experimental Station, Wilmington, Delaware, 24 and 25 August 2011 (Philadelphia: Chemical Heritage Foundation, Oral History Transcript # 0715). Chemical Heritage Foundation Center for Oral History 315 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) serves the community of the chemical and molecular sciences, and the wider public, by treasuring the past, educating the present, and inspiring the future. CHF maintains a world-class collection of materials that document the history and heritage of the chemical and molecular sciences, technologies, and industries; encourages research in CHF collections; and carries out a program of outreach and interpretation in order to advance an understanding of the role of the chemical and molecular sciences, technologies, and industries in shaping society.

4 UMA CHOWDHRY 1947 Born in Mumbai, India on 14 September Education 1968 BSc, Mumbai University, Physics/Math 1970 MS, California Institute of Technology, Engineering Science 1976 PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Materials Science & Engineering Professional Experience E.I. Dupont de Nemours & Company Research Scientist, Central Research & Development Group Leader, Research Supervisor and Research Manager, Central Research & Development Laboratory Director, DuPont Electronics Business Manager, DuPont Electronics Director, Best Practices for Manufacturing Quality, DuPont Electronics Laboratory Director, DuPont Specialty Chemicals R&D Director, DuPont Specialty Chemicals Director of R&D and Strategic Planning, Specialty Chemicals Director of DuPont Engineering Technology Vice President, Central Research & Development Senior Vice President & Global Chief Science & Technology Officer Chief Science & Technology Officer Emeritus Honors 1986 Elected Fellow of the American Ceramic Society 1996 Elected to National Academy of Engineering 2003 Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences 2006 Chesapeake Bay Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction Award 2006 Recipient of Girls Inc. of Delaware Strong, Smart, Bold, award 2008 Member of Delaware Women s Hall of Fame i

5 2010 Recipient of IRI Medal for outstanding technical innovation for benefit to society 2010 Recipient of Earl B. Barnes National ACS award for chemical research management 2011 Elected Distinguished Alumnus, California Institute of Technology ii

6 ABSTRACT Uma Chowdhry grew up in Bombay (later Mumbai), India, one of three children. She attended British missionary schools, which taught in English, and became interested in science in high school. Having obtained a bachelor s degree in physics and math from the University of Mumbai, she wanted to continue her studies in the United States and was accepted at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). She married for love, against her father s wishes. After two years at the University of Michigan Uma and her husband entered the PhD programs at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, respectively. At MIT Uma worked on batteries for ceramics professor Robert Coble in the materials science department and thus became more interested in applied science. Chowdhry accepted a job as research scientist at E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, which she says was a good place for research, with much funding and good equipment. She quickly moved into catalysis, networking with other disciplines, and became group leader, then research supervisor, of a new ceramics group, at which point she gave up lab work. She became a Fellow of the American Ceramics Society. Next she was promoted to leader of DuPont s superconductor group, which produced twenty patents and twenty to thirty publications. But business experience was deemed necessary, so Chowdhry was appointed Lab Director in the Electronics sector, where she had to learn several businesses. Her sector developed a thick film paste for integrated circuits packaging. As business director of microcircuit materials (MCM) Chowdhry had to learn the manufacturing process, deal with customers, even work on the production line. As business director for Terathane, an intermediate for Lycra, she saw new plants built in Spain and Texas. Next she was made manager of the military market for the Americas, and then she became global manager. From there she became the leader of DuPont Engineering Technologies (DuET). She promoted the DuET brand and engineers to the chairman of DuPont, executives, and department heads, improving morale and garnering much respect for the engineers. Realizing a dream, Chowdhry was selected vice president of Central Research and Development; then Chief Science and Technology Officer (CSTO). She points out that she has delivered a very large amount of revenue to DuPont and developed numerous products to improve and enrich lives. She retired after four years as vice president and four as CSTO. Chowdhry has learned much on every job; she loves to learn. She praises DuPont s corporate ideology and purpose and its core values, especially safety. She explains that providing food and energy are DuPont s current focuses. She talks about DuPont s mandate to reduce environmental impact in all new products; and new labs in other countries. Though retired she serves on the advisory board of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the nominating committee of National Academy of Engineering (NAE). She believes that the United States is still best for innovation, entrepreneurism, research and development funding. Globalism results in more women involved, but America is still the most equitable. Chowdhy emphasizes the importance of communication skills, networking, and mentoring. She concludes with a discussion of her awards, hobbies, travel, and family in India. iii

7 INTERVIEWER Hilary Domush was a Program Associate in the Center for Oral History at CHF from Previously, she earned a BS in chemistry from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine in She then completed an MS in chemistry and an MA in history of science both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her graduate work in the history of science focused on early nineteenth-century chemistry in the city of Edinburgh, while her work in the chemistry was in a total synthesis laboratory. At CHF, she worked on projects such as the Pew Biomedical Scholars, Women in Chemistry, Atmospheric Science, and Catalysis. iv

8 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chronology Abstract Interviewer Bio i iii iv 24 August Early Years 1 Growing up in Bombay, India. Attends British missionary schools, learns English. Interest in science begins in high school. Extended family. Father s influence, support. Bachelor s degree in physics and math from University of Bombay (now Mumbai). Moving to the United States 7 Culture shock of arriving in LA. Attending California Institute of Technology. Feeling unprepared for American graduate school. Supportive environment for success. Marrying for love. Discovering Materials Science 9 Life-changing meetings yield acceptance into PhD program at MIT. Working for ceramics professor Robert Coble in materials science department. Funding from US Atomic Energy Commission; work on batteries. Growing interest in applied science. Beginning Career 13 Accepts position as research scientist at E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company. Good place for research; lots of funding and equipment. Moves into catalysis. Feeling excited by breakthroughs and new technology. Networking with other disciplines. Named group leader, then research supervisor of new ceramics group. No more lab work. Fellow of American Ceramics Society. Leader of DuPont s superconductor group; twenty patents and twenty to thirty publications. Paving new pathways for women at DuPont. Next Phase: Business 20 Becoming Lab Director in Electronics sector. Learning the business. Goal-oriented, not just interesting. Developing thick film paste for integrated circuits packaging. As business director of microcircuit materials (MCM) had to learn manufacturing process, deal with customers, even work on production line. Business director for Terathane, intermediate for Lycra. New plants in Spain, Texas. Manager of military market for the Americas, then became global manager. v

9 25 August New Challenges 29 Taking risks and learning from new opporutnities. Named leader of DuPont Engineering Technologies (DuET), creates new brand. Made Vice President of Central Research and Development; then Chief Science and Technology Officer (CSTO). Building strong relationships with managers and businesses. Significant increase in revenue; develops products to improve and enrich lives. Globilization of DuPont s R&D. Pushing for sustainable growth. Traveling and connecting with labs around the world. Retirement and General Thoughts 39 Stepping back and doing less in Emeritus role. Importance of investing and staying committed to R&D and innovation. Globilization of science and industry, impact for women to get involved. Stresses networking, mentoring, and communication skills necessary for success. Figuring out what fits for you. Awards. Hobbies. Travel. Family in India. Index 53 vi

10 INDEX A American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 47 Ann Arbor, Michigan, 9, 10 Asturias, Spain, 26, 27, 28, 36, 40 Bednorz, J. Georg, 17 Bombay University [now University of Mumbai], 3 Brazil, 36, 40 B C California Institute of Technology, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, 11, 19, 30 Caltech. See California Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts, 10, 13, 14 Case Western Reserve University, 2, 4 China, 11, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43 Coble, Robert L., 11 E E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 49 DuPont Experimental Station, 1, 13, 18, 20, 29, 37, 38 G General Electric Company, 11 Gulyas, Diane H., 44 H Harvard University, 9, 10, 13, 39 Hyderabad, India, 38, 41 India, 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 50, 51 Japan, 11, 25, 41 I J Lycra TM, 26, 27 L M Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 30 MIT. See Massachusetts Institute of Technology Müller, K. Alex, 17 Mumbai, India, 1, 5, 6, 50 Muzyka, Douglas, 37, 39 N National Academy of Engineering, 39, 47 Nobel Prize, 17 patent, 18 publish/publication, 18 Spain, 26, 28, 29, 30 Terathane, 30 Texas, 18, 26, 27, 28, 29 P S T U U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 39 United States of America, 2, 3, 4, 40, 43 University of Michigan, 9 W Westheimer, Frank H., 10 Wilmington, Delaware, 1, 13, 21, 28, 29, 37, 41 Woolard, Edgar S., Jr., 24 53