Centennial Celebration: 1973

The Workshop on Women in Science and Technology brought women engineers and scientists from all over the country to MIT. Unlike the 1964 Symposium, this time women were the key participants.

AMITA conducted another alumnae survey, prepared by Dr. Susan (Lippman) Kannenberg '63, Physics. AMITA president Susan Schur '60, Materials Science and Engineering, prepared a Centennial Exhibit that featured pioneering alumnae.

A woman and work ombudsman, Mary Rowe, was appointed in 1973. At this time, Dean Wick returned to her status as a professor.

Dr. Shirley Jackson '68, received a PhD in Physics from MIT, the first to be granted to an African American woman in the US. She would later become the President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Eleven women received faculty appointments or promotions in 1973. Dr. Sheila Widnall '60 received tenure as a professor in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department

Margaret Freeman '34 MA became an Associate Professor of Russian

Dr. Margaret MacVicar '65, (Left) was promoted to Associate Professor

MIT - A Place for Women, a brochure sparked by the Ad Hoc Committee work, was produced by the Admissions Office, working with students to recruit more women students.

Cover of MIT - A Place for Women: Katherine Hendricks '71, at left; Dr. Lydia Villa-Kanaroff '75, third from right

The brochure said: "Young women are changing their expectations; employers are promising equal opportunity, equal pay, and equal status... Being in a minority at MIT and in most of the professions we choose is a situation some of us find challenging and interesting, and others find bothersome or irrelevant."

Lydia Villa-Komaroff '75 PhD, Life Sciences (Above) was one of the first MIT Hispanic women. She would later become the Director of Research at Northwestern University.

Physical education became a requirement for women in 1973. Women's sailing and crew became official varsity programs, followed by fencing and basketball the next spring.

The Women's Independent Living Group (WILG) was established in 1976 with AMITA's help. Marjorie Pierce '22 served on the organizing committee and designed a renovation.