Sandra Kizior

Thanks to Sandy Kizior, who shared several photographs from her working life.  I smile every time I read this comment she left on the blog:

Rachel I love you. Finally a “place” online I can feel like one of the crowd (of techie grandmas that is). Retired since 2007. Miss my work. I’m looking for pictures etc to share.

Sandy came through with the photos and here they are!

This is a picture of me with Dr. Michael Roche  in our lab at Argonne National Lab.  We worked in the Chemical Engineering Division. This is some of the equipment used to study electrochemical systems.   I believe Mike passed away a few years ago.

This picture was taken circa 1975.

I do not have current photo capability. The photos were scanned using 2003 Apple/HP technology.

My colleagues took me to a Polish restaurant in Chicago (I am Polish) for a farewell luncheon. Mike left the gift in the trunk of his car which was parked in Bldg 205 parking lot. After returning from the luncheon, the whole group gathered in the Argonne parking lot for the gift opening.

The photos are unique to say the least.  Here I am with Mike opening the card…

Next photo has the gift…

My colleagues at Argonne gave me a briefcase filled with $100 in singles, labeled the Polish National Bank of Argonne. I couldn’t stop laughing.

The position at Argonne was my best job with the lowest compensation. I did real research, published several papers in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society (using 3 different names) and got one patent.

I just need to share one more little tidbit.

The first time I presented my work was at a symposium at Argonne. I don’t remember the year. It was probably around 1977. The talk was scheduled very last, after supper on the final day. Much to my dismay it seemed like everyone stayed to hear my talk. There were about 250 people in the audience, with only one other technical woman. I was able to defend my work without help from “the boss”, and I even threw in a couple of jokes to start. Needless to say, it was the hit of the conference.

After the reorganization at Argonne in the 80’s, I moved to Hughes Electrodynamics in California and worked on space batteries for a few years. Then, I went to Lockheed Martin to work on electrochromics and coatings technology until I retired.

I could not publish when I worked for the defense companies, but I was able to get one or 2 patents.