Oral history interview with Mary L. Good 1998 June 2

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Good, Mary L., 1931-. Oral history interview with Mary L. Good 1998 June 2

Oral history interview with Mary L. Good 1998 June 2

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/77481488

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.

Sound recordings ; cassettesTranscript : (60 leaves) ; 29 cm.

Chemical Heritage Foundation, Othmer Library of Chemical History