Frieda Axelrod Stahl (May 27, 1922 – October 1, 2021) was an American historian of physics and physics educator known for her work on the language of physics and for her advocacy of women in science. She was a

professor emerita ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

at California State University, Los Angeles.

Life

Stahl was born on May 27, 1922. After earning a master's degree from

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of Ne ...

in 1957, with the thesis ''Exciton states in semiconductors'', she became a faculty member at California State University, Los Angeles in 1958, the first woman physicist at the university. She completed a doctorate at the Claremont Graduate School with the 1969 dissertation ''Teaching Physics for Scientific Literacy''. She served as associate dean of academic planning for undergraduate studies for over five years, from 1970 to 1975, before returning to physics teaching and research. After retiring as

in 1992, she remained active in research, and in 2002–2003 chaired the Committee on History and Philosophy of Physics of the American Association of Physics Teachers. She died on October 1, 2021.

Recognition

Stahl was a 1999 honoree in the California State University, Los Angeles Distinguished Women Awards. She was named a

Fellow of the American Physical Society The American Physical Society honors members with the designation ''Fellow'' for having made significant accomplishments to the field of physics. The following lists are divided chronologically by the year of designation. * List of American Physic ...

(APS) in 2003, after a nomination from the APS Forum on the History and Philosophy of Physics, "for extensive work with UCLA's archive and Web site concerning women in physics, energetic efforts to integrate history of physics into physics education, and investigations into the relationship between physics and language". She was also a Fellow of the American Association of Physics Teachers, which in 2006 awarded her its Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service.

Selected publications

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stahl, Frieda 1922 births 2021 deaths American physicists American women physicists Physics educators Historians of physics American historians American women historians Hofstra University alumni Claremont Graduate University alumni California State University, Los Angeles faculty Fellows of the American Physical Society