“always arrived with suitcases full of 'apparatus', with which she showed us such wonders as how to make colors by dipping glass rods into thin films of oil floating on water.”
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Katharine Burr Blodgett
Katharine Burr Blodgett was an American physicist and chemist known for her work on surface chemistry, in particular her invention of "invisible" or nonreflective glass while working at General Electric. She was the first woman to be awarded a PhD in physics from the University of Cambridge, in 1926.
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science · American physicist (1898–1979) · physicist · inventor · chemist · also Katharine Burr Blodgett, Katharine B. Blodgett, Blodgett
Born 10 January 1898 · Died 12 October 1979 · Q21482
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2026· 3 entries
WBUR: New podcast tells story of pioneering female scientist Katharine Burr Blodgett
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Scientific American magazine: Rediscovering Katharine Burr Blodgett’s scientific brilliance
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2008· 1 entry
An elementary school in Schenectady bearing her name was opened
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2007· 1 entry
Awarded National Inventors Hall of Fame (2007).
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1979· 2 entries
Died 1979-10-12.
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Leaving behind a legacy of innovation, resilience, and breaking barriers for women in science and engineering
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1972· 1 entry
The Photographic Society of America presented her with its Annual Achievement Award and in 2007 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame
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1963· 2 entries
Blodgett continued her horticultural experiments, demonstrating her lifelong commitment to exploration and discovery
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Even after retiring in 1963, Blodgett continued her horticultural experiments, demonstrating her lifelong commitment to exploration and discovery.
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1951· 3 entries
Won Garvan–Olin Medal (1951).
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Was honored in Boston's First Assembly of American Women in Achievement (the only scientist in the group), and the mayor of Schenectady honored her with Katharine Blodgett Day on June 13, 1951, because of all the hon
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Received the prestigious Francis Garvan Medal from the American Chemical Society for her work on thin films
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1945· 2 entries
The American Association of University Women honored her with its Annual Achievement Award
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Received the Achievement Award from the American Association of University Women, and in 1951, she was honored with the Garvan-Olin Medal by the American Chemical Society
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1935· 1 entry
Blodgett extended Langmuir's work by devising a method to spread multiple layers of a monomolecular coating, one layer at a time, onto glass or metal
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1926· 2 entries
Became the first woman to receive a PhD in physics from Cambridge University
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Studied at University of Cambridge, Doctor of Philosophy (1926).
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1918· 2 entries
After receiving a master's degree from the University of Chicago
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And took a research scientist position working with Langmuir
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1917· 1 entry
Irving Langmuir, a former colleague of her father and future Nobel laureate, took Katharine on a tour of General Electric (GE)'s research laboratories
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1913· 2 entries
Studied at Bryn Mawr College (1913).
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Studied at Misses Rayson's Boarding and Day School (1913).
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1912· 1 entry
Blodgett returned to New York City with her family and attended New York City's Rayson School
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1901· 1 entry
Katharine's mother moved the family to France so that the children would be bilingual
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1898· 1 entry
Born 1898-01-10.
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