Irene Carswell Peden (born September 25, 1925) is an American engineer who has contributed much to the field of electrical engineering. She is known for being the first American woman scientist to live and work in the interior of the
Antarctic
The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
, where she developed new methods to analyze the deep
glacial ice
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
by studying the effect it has on radio waves.
Early life and education
Born on September 25, 1925, in
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka ( ; Kansa language, Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the Capital (political), capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the County seat, seat of Shawnee County, Kansas, Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the ...
, Irene was the oldest of three girls, her mother was also the oldest child of four, in a Swedish immigrant family. Her mother was a school teacher in math and music education. Her father was in the automobile business. She graduated from
Central High School in
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...
. After graduating from
Kansas City Junior College, Irene went on to graduate from the
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Co ...
with a degree in electrical engineering in 1947. She later went to graduate school at
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
, where she conducted research for her doctoral dissertation in the Stanford Microwave Lab. In 1962, Irene became the first woman to earn a PhD in engineering from Stanford. Both Peden's M.S and Ph.D from
Stanford
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is considere ...
were in
electrical engineering
Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
.
Professional career
After graduating from the
University of Colorado
The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Colorado Springs, University of Colorado Denver, and the University of Co ...
from 1947 to 1949, Irene worked as a junior engineer for Delaware Power and Light Company, and then for Aircraft Radio systems Laboratory of the Stanford Research Institute from 1949 to 1950. From 1953 to 1954, she worked as a research engineer for
Midwest Research Institute.
Once she earned her doctorate degree, Irene joined the electrical engineering faculty at the
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
, first as an assistant to associate professor from 1961 to 1971, and then promoted to full professor in 1971. Later, she was an associate dean of engineering from 1973 to 1977, and then the associate chair of the electrical engineering department from 1983 to 1986. Peden became the
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 ...
of electrical engineering at the
University of Washington
The University of Washington (UW, simply Washington, or informally U-Dub) is a public research university in Seattle, Washington.
Founded in 1861, Washington is one of the oldest universities on the West Coast; it was established in Seattle a ...
in 2002.
Peden has also had her hand in several scientific publications, either writing alone or with others. Some of her works include: "
Radio Science
One way of outlining the subject of ''radio science'' is listing the topics associated with it by authoritative bodies.
Union of Radio Science International (URSI)
The International Union of Radio Science has several commissions corresponding to ...
", "
IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
''IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the IEEE Antennas & Propagation Society. It covers research on and applications of all aspects of antenna technology and the propagation of elec ...
", "Transactions on Geoscience Electronics".
Work in the Antarctic
In 1970, Irene became the first American woman engineer or scientist to conduct research in the
Antarctic
The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
interior.
While there, she conducted research with a grant from the Polar Upper Atmosphere Program at the
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
. Her work during her time in the
Antarctic
The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
consisted of characterizing
glacial ice
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
. They often worked 12-hour days in temperatures as low as -50 °C.
She and her students were the first to measure many important electrical properties of the
glacial ice
A glacier (; ) is a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its Ablation#Glaciology, ablation over many years, often Century, centuries. It acquires dis ...
. Paths in the ice were measured using very low frequency propagation. Structures and other items were found under the ice using very high frequency radio waves. Peden designed the mathematical models and methodology needed to find this characteristics.
In 1979 she spent an entire winter at the South Pole, becoming the first woman to do so.
[Karina Peggau]
"Overcoming Ice and Stereotypes at the Bottom of the World,"
''Eos
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Eos (; Ionic and Homeric Greek ''Ēṓs'', Attic ''Héōs'', "dawn", or ; Aeolic ''Aúōs'', Doric ''Āṓs'') is the goddess and personification of the dawn, who rose each morning from her home ...
'', September 5, 2019. Because of the significance of her work, the
Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names
The Advisory Committee on Antarctic Names (ACAN or US-ACAN) is an advisory committee of the United States Board on Geographic Names responsible for recommending commemorative names for features in Antarctica.
History
The committee was established ...
(US-ACAN) named a line of cliffs near
Rhodes Icefall
Rhodes Icefall () is an icefall draining west out of McDonald Heights through a breach in the middle of Peden Cliffs. The icefall nourishes the Garfield Glacier near the coast of Marie Byrd Land. Mapped by United States Geological Survey (USGS) fro ...
after her scientific contributions, now called
Peden Cliffs Peden Cliffs () is a line of cliffs, 6 nautical miles (11 km) long, breached near the center by Rhodes Icefall. The cliffs border the north side of Garfield Glacier in the west part of McDonald Heights, Marie Byrd Land. Mapped by United States ...
().
Memberships
Irene Peden is a member of several scientific organizations. Some of these are the
Explorer's Club
The Explorers Club is an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The club was founded in New York City in 1904, and has served as a meeting point fo ...
, the
ASEE
The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) is a non-profit member association, founded in 1893, dedicated to promoting and improving engineering and engineering technology education. The purpose of ASEE is the advancement of education ...
, the
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is an American international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific respons ...
, the
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
The ABET (incorporated as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc.) is a non-governmental organization that accredits post-secondary education programs in applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering ...
, the
New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences (originally the Lyceum of Natural History) was founded in January 1817 as the Lyceum of Natural History. It is the fourth oldest scientific society in the United States. An independent, nonprofit organization wit ...
, and the
American Geophysical Union
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization of Earth, atmospheric, ocean, hydrologic, space, and planetary scientists and enthusiasts that according to their website includes 130,000 people (not members). AGU's act ...
. Other organizations she is a member of include
International Union of Radio Science
The International Union of Radio Science (abbreviated ''URSI'', after its French name, french: link=no, Union radio-scientifique internationale) is one of 26 international scientific unions affiliated to the International Council for Science ( ...
(URSI), the
Society of Women Engineers
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is an international not-for-profit educational and service organization. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in the United States, the Society of Women Engineers is a major advocate for women in engineering and ...
,
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...
, and the Association of Women in Science. She is also an alum of several academic honor societies. These include
Tau Beta Pi
The Tau Beta Pi Association (commonly Tau Beta Pi, , or TBP) is the oldest engineering honor society and the second oldest collegiate honor society in the United States. It honors engineering students in American universities who have shown a ...
,
Sigma Xi
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society () is a highly prestigious, non-profit honor society for scientists and engineers. Sigma Xi was founded at Cornell University by a junior faculty member and a small group of graduate students in 1886 ...
, and
Mortar Board
Mortar Board is an American national honor society for college seniors. Mortar Board has 233 chartered collegiate chapters nationwide and 15 alumni chapters.
History
Mortar Board was the first national honor society for college senior women ...
.
Awards and honors
This might sound very minor but the author of one of only a tiny number of 'career novels' mentioning that engineering could also be for girls, noted her special thanks to Peden in 1966, presumably for helping with the background reality for young women entering the male-majority profession. Peden received the
Society of Women Engineers
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is an international not-for-profit educational and service organization. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in the United States, the Society of Women Engineers is a major advocate for women in engineering and ...
' Achievement Award in 1973 as well as the U.S. Army's Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in 1987 for her research and work in the
Antarctic
The Antarctic ( or , American English also or ; commonly ) is a polar region around Earth's South Pole, opposite the Arctic region around the North Pole. The Antarctic comprises the continent of Antarctica, the Kerguelen Plateau and other ...
.
Irene Peden was elected member of the
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is an American nonprofit, non-governmental organization. The National Academy of Engineering is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, along with the National Academy ...
in 1993 for her leadership in engineering education in antennas and propagation and contributions to radioscience in the polar region. Also that same year, the
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
named her as the Engineer of the Year. Among her other numerous awards she was inducted into the
ASEE
The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) is a non-profit member association, founded in 1893, dedicated to promoting and improving engineering and engineering technology education. The purpose of ASEE is the advancement of education ...
Engineering Educators Hall of Fame. She is also a Fellow of
IEEE
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a 501(c)(3) professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering (and associated disciplines) with its corporate office in New York City and its operation ...
, which honored her with their Distinguished Achievement Award, the
Centennial Medal in 1984, and Third Millennium Medal for 2000.
Irene Peden received the Diamond Award from the University of Washington in 2018 which is given to alumni and others who have made great strides in the field of engineering.
References
Sources
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External links
United States Antarctic ProgramUniversity of Washington Electrical Engineering Bio
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peden, Irene
1925 births
Living people
American electrical engineers
Explorers of Antarctica
Stanford University alumni
University of Colorado alumni
Members of the United States National Academy of Engineering
United States Army Science Board people
Female polar explorers
Women Antarctic scientists
IEEE Centennial Medal laureates
Fellows of the IEEE
University of Washington faculty
American women engineers
Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Fellows of the Explorers Club
People from Topeka, Kansas
Engineers from Kansas
21st-century women engineers
American women academics
21st-century American women
American Antarctic scientists
Microwave engineers