Mary Fieser A Transitional Figure in the History of Women

Stacey Pramer 37 Grant Avenue, Highland Park, NJ 08904

Mary Fieser can he viewed as a transitional figure in the history of women. She is internationally known for her chemical research and writing. In addition to contributing to the advancement of knowledge, the success of 74-year-old Fieser undoubtedly has encouraged recognition of women's intellectual potential. Her hieh level of achievement is rare "

among male or female synthetic organic chemists. While Mary Fieser has helped to broaden society's view of

her sex, her own image of women incorporates both traditional and progressive beliefs. A career closely linked to that of her husband Louis Fieser, a distinguished professor of chemistry a t Harvard University for nearly 50 years, has enabled her to act according to her convictions without sacrificing a profes- sional life. In a sense, she, and others like her, link women who remain in the home to women who independently participate in the working world. A close look at Mary Fieser provides insight into the evolution of women's thinking and women's roles.

Contrlbulions to Chemistry Mary Fieser's contributions to chemistry are remarkable.

As an unusually ahle member of her distinguished husband Louis Fieser's research group, she published over 40 papers in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Primarily in collaboration with her husband. she has written kev ~. chemical texthooks and research referenre materials. In 1944, the IJiesers cwauthored "Oreanic Chemistrv." an innovative textbook that dominated th;! market for over a decade. This work was followed hv other significant volumes. includine several additional texihooks an; revised editions df " ~ a t u r a i Products Related to Phenanthrene." a vital reference for steroid chemists originally puhlished under Louis Fieser's name. The "Style Guide for Chemists," a widely emploved manual of English usage, was also written by the ~ieskrs. Perhaps the most famous of the Fiesers' hooks are the multi-volume, dictionary-form "Reagents for Organic Syn- thesis," b ~ ~ p n i n 1967. Together the Fiesers produced volumps 1 through 7 of "Reaeents." Sincc hw hushand's death in 1977. Mary ~Teser has puhshed volumes 8 and 9, the latter of which was completed with the aid of two collaborators.' She is now workingin volumes 10 and 11 of the series.

Mary Fieser's colleagues recognize her achievements. In 1969, Smith College presented her with an honorary degree of Doctor of Science. In 1971, she received the Garvan Medal of the American Chemical Society, awarded annually for "distinguished sewice to chemistry by women chemists."

Family Background Mary Fieser's family background provides insight into why

a career in science appealed to her. This upbringing instilled in her a respect for higher education, love of reading and writing, commitment to public service, and high regard for working women. Family life also nurtured diligence, self- restraint, and competitiveness. As auniversity chemist, Mary was ahle to remain true to her roots.

Mary Fieser's family perceived the importance of higher education for women as well as for men. Her paternal grand- father served as president of Midland College, a small Lu-

theran institution then in Atchison, Kansas, where she was horn in 1909. Her maternal grandmother, a graduate of a ladies' seminaw, raised seven children. all of whom she in- structed a t homeuntil they were ready & attend college. Julia Clutz Peters, Mary Fieser's mother, not only completed un- dergraduate studies but did graduate work in English a t Goucher Colleee. Robert Peters. Marv's father. was a professor of English a t ~ i d l a n d and later a t what isnow darnegie- Mellon University. Growing up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Mary Fieser and her only sister Ruth were educated a t a pri- vate girl's school that prepared them to earn BA degrees a t Bryn Mawr. Ruth went on to receive a PhD in mathematics from Harvard in 1935 and to spend her life as a professor of mathematics a t institutions including Judson College, Lake Erie College, and the University of New Hampshire.

Mary Fieser's mother and father possessed a contagious enthusiasm for reading. Fieser recalls a house "filled with booksn2 from which her parents read aloud. Kipline and . " Shakespeare wm! favorit's. The Hible was the choice every Sundav. A. an outmowth of her love of literature. Marv heean to write. At the &e of six she asked for a t{pewrkerufor Christmas so that she could begin working on a hook.

Mary was impressed by the commitme~t 118 public servicp that pervaded t'nrnilv life. Her maternal rrandmother alwass insisted that people were "put on earth todo good." Her fathkr sewed briefly as Secretary of Labor for Pennsylvania. His rhoiw, as well as that of his father, of a career in &e academic world was based in part on her t~elief in the ad\,anr~ment of knowledge for the good of mankind.

While she was growing up, Mary Fieser was exposed to working women and urged to become one of them. Her grandmother frequently stressed the importance of con- structivelv mine one's education. As soon as her children were cdd rnough to he left at hume alone during business hours, Mnrv Fieser's mother uurchased and managed a bookstore in ~ar i isburg. The family doctor, a woman, particularly im- pressed Marv, who for a time wished to become a phvsician ;ather than a chemist. A graduate of the women.8 Medical College in Pennsylvania, she struck Fieser as competent and h u ~ y , - ~ e t always willing to take the time to add personal warmth to her care. Fieser believes that women physicians are best because they enhance the practice of medicine with the "feminine virtues," particularly "just a little bit more kind- ness, awareness, and sympathy" in dealing with people..

Mary Fieser's maternal grandmother demanded diligence and self-discinline. Fieser remembers her as a vew enereetic woman who delieved that "girls particularly sho&d he Lusy everv minute." "She sat us down at eieht in the mornine." remarks Mary. "If we stopped during the day to catch &r breath. she would remind us that 'The devil finds work for idle hands.' "Because this same grandmother insisted that" 'You should eat to live, not live to eat,' " she provided no second

Rick Danheiser and WilliamRaush of the Massachusens Institute of Technology.

Unless otherwise identified, this quotation and all subsequent quotations of Mary Fieser are taken from two interviews, one in October 1981, in Cambridge, MA. and one in January 1982. in Belmont, MA.

186 Journal of Chemical Education

helpings at meals. In addition, she taught Mary that one needs only six hours of sleep each night. Hours before midnight are twice as restful as other hours, according to this scheme. Fieser still sleeps only from 10 in the evening until two in the morn- ing, an interval equivalent tosix hours of rest in her view.

As a child, Mary Fieser thrived on a recreational outlet for competitiveness. Her father believed that athletics were im- proper for girls, who were to read, to play with dolls, or to embroider in their free time. He wanted his girls to "dress in frills," to have their "hair curled," and to look "quite sweet." Nevertheless. he oermitted them to olav card eames such as . . . . whist. Mary discovered that she possessed a rare enthusiasm for excelling at games. Haward chemist William von Doering fondly recalls that this love remained with her in later life. While he was a graduate student a t Harvard, Mary organized games after working hours to boost the morale of her hus- hand's research group. Although Doering studied under an- other professor,-he participated in these activities, "very lively" due to a "strong competitive element," the fact that Mary Fieser always wanted to win.3 Jeffrey Hayes, who re- cently completed graduate studies in organic chemistry a t Harvard, remarks that when she entertains students at her home in Belmont, Massachusetts, Mary always sets up heated contests in ping-pong, badminton, and horseshoes.

Impact of Home Life What was the i m ~ a c t of Marv Fieser's home life? Her uo-

bringing provided her with a desire to learn, to compete, and to achieve as well as a lifestvle that freed her to do so. Marv also developed a rather inco&isteut image of women. The vie; she acquired was verv proeressive in certain respects. For . . - example, she learned to admire the well-educated gainfully employed woman, as did other members of her family. At the same time, Mary Fieser encountered many conventional at- titudes of the day, which she also adopted. For instance, she accepted the notion that females are more sensitive to other people's needs than males.

Mary Fieser's more traditional leanings in regard to women might have prevented her from becoming a scientist during an era in which female chemists were far from commonplace^ The few women who chose this path often encountered op- position to their career goals. "I am not a fighter," stresses Mary. "I always need a certain amount of encouragement."

What circumstances enabled Marv Fieser to oursue her interests successfully? As part of an u&sual husband and wife team, she realized her academic potential without sacrificine her traditional values. She asserts that Louis Fieser, h& mentor, co-worker, and spouse, made her achievements in chemistry possihle through his emotional and academic support.

Higher Education Mary Fieser, then Mary Peters, met her future husband

while he was an instructor at Bryn Mawr College, where she earned a BA deeree in chemistrv~in 1930. Louis Fieser's sense - of humor, love of subject, and engaging lectures appealed to her enormouslv. She also enioved his emuhasis on exoeri- mental rather than theoretici<chemistry.L~ary learneb all of her colleee chemistw from her future hushand. who in 1930. after several years ofteaching and research a t ' ~ r y n ~ a w r ; returned to Harvard where he had com~leted his doctoral work. There, Louis Fieser's inspiring instruction became al- most lependarv. Harvard chemist E. J. Corev descrihes him as a "st;?llar ~ei turer ,"~ "a wizard in transmitting to others, especially the vounz undergraduate or graduatestudent, the joy and adventure of skilliul lahoratory practi~e."~(:orey re- members that at one point admiring Haward students sported Louiq Fieser's photograph on '1'-shirrs."

The then Marv Peters came to Harvard u,ith her mentor, under whom she~earned an AM degree in organic chemistry

Table 1. RadcllHe College Graduate Students In Chemistry

Number of Graduate Year Students in Chemistry

in 1936. As a eraduate student. she oerformed research in Louis ~ieser's'iah half-time and attended classes half-time. She disruvered orom~tlv that Harvard was "not vet the olace for a woman." For e;a&le, she recalls that in the req;ired course in analvtical chemistw. Professor Greeow Paul Baxter would not allow her to do labwork with the;es"t of the class. She was told to conduct her experiments in the deserted basement of an adjoining building where he had no intention of supervising activitv. The onlv other female graduate stu- d e n t ~ i e s e r rememb&s was ~ v i l y n Emma ~ e g r e n s , who in 1931 received a PhD degree in analytical chemistry. As a pupil of Professor Baxter, Behrens worked with minimal guidance in the same basement to which Mary had been assigned. The only glimmer of hope was Kmma Dietz, a posrdocroril student of James Hryanr Conant in organic rhemistry. Kmma Dietz went on to work as a chemist a t Merck and Company and a t Barnard College. Nevertheless, Mary Fieser recalls that, in eeneral. it "did not look verv ~romisine" for women in chemistry, especially because ~ a i c l i f f e ~oylege had no labo- ratorv facilities and did not attemot to attract females in science.

The Radcliffe College Archives provide information that confirms Mary's impressions of the status of women in chemistry at Harvard a t this time. First published in 1927, "The Annual Reports of Radcliffe College" reveal that for several sears before and for long after Fieser arrived a t Har- vard, a-small minority of female graduate students chose chemistry as their field (see Table 1). From 1927 to 1950, this segment of the female graduate student body, officially en- rolled at Radcliffe, ranged from 0 to 3.9% of the whole. During this interval. too. commencement oroerams show that onlv eight PhD degrees were granted ti women in chemistry h; Radcliffe (see Table 2). Perhans discouraeed bv the sort of hostility ~ i e s e r encountered, women often Tai~edto complete

Interview. W Illam von Doermg. January. 1982. Camoridge. MA All subsequent quorarlons of peop e other than Mary Fleser are also taken from ntervoews conducted n Jan~ary 1982. In Cambridge. MA. unless otherwise identified.

Interview, Elias J. Corey. Elias J. Cwey, "Remarks by E. J. Corey, Ph. D:' Memwial Service,

Louis Fieser, Cambridge, MA, 1977. lnterview.

Volume 62 Number 3 March 1985 187

Table 2. Radclme College PhD Recipients

Dissertation fm Year Name Field PhD Degree

1928- Mildred Organic A Study of the Rate of 1929 Williams Chemistry Dissociation of Same Vi-

Evans Alkyi Di-Xanlhyls 1930- Evelyn Analytical I. The Determination of the

1931 Emma Chemistry Atomic Weight of Behmns Lanthanum

it. The Densities of Lanthanum Chloride and Lanthanum Bromide

1938- Rena Physical The Eiectroiytic Separation of 1939 Helen Chemistry Isatopes of Chlorine and

Jasie Lithium. The Atomic Weight of Sodium.

1943- Ma04 Wu Organic Aryiation of 1.4- 1944 Chemistry Naphthoquinones

1945- Evelyn Organic Amimalariais 1946 Hodes Chemistry

Wilson 1947- Marguerite Organic Rates of Hydrolysis of Highly

1948 Louise Chemistry Branched Tertiary Alkyl Stay Swain Chlorides

1948- Eiga Ruth Organic S o w Reactions of Phenyl- 1949 Steinhwz Chemistry prapiolyl Chloride

Waserman 1949- Lilli Organic The Metabolism of

1950 Schwenk Chemistry Carcinogenic Hornig Hydrocarbons: A Synthesis

of 3',7'Dihydraxy-1.2,5,6- Vibenranlhrautne and Certain Derivatives

their advanced studies, or elected to earn AM degrees, as did Mary.

Why did Mary Fieser choose to earn an AM degree rather than a PhD degree? Louis Fieser's timely proposal of marriage played a crucial role in her decision. As Fieser's wife, her po- sition as a member of his research team would he secure. whether or not she possessed a PhD degree. In addition, thd narrow-mindedness of male chauvinistic faculty members such as Baxter would be tempered out of deference to her husband, eager for her to continue her professional work. More fortunate than many of her female contemporaries, she would he able to circumvent maior obstacles to her academic career. "I could see I was not to get along well on my own," comments Mary. Once she was to he Mrs. Fieser, she remarks, "I could do as much chemistry as I wanted, and i t didn't matter what Professor Baxter thought of me." To Mary Fieser, then, a PhD degree appeared less than essential, and, after she received her AM degree, the Fiesers were married in 1932.

Unusual Broad-mindedness Marv Fieser feels deeulv indebted to her husband. To a

certainextent, Louis oppoied the system for Mary. She was able to studv a t Harvard as his nraduate student. Eauallv . . well-qunlitied women were rurne? away herause profr~sors refused to w ~ r k with them. When she encountered ohiections to a woman's presence, she found that "Louis was more in- dignant" than she. In addition, Mary never had to compete for a facltlty position; her spouse employed her as a member ut his research staff. Many of her female contemporarica, if unable to obtain appointments, lost the chance topursue ca- reers in academic chemistry. Long after the Fiesers began to co-author hooks, Harvard did name Mary a research associate. Yet this honorary position is unpaid.

Mary Fieser attributes her husband's broad-mindedness in regard to women to two factors. First, he was "comfortable with women" as a result of his close relationshiv with his mother. Second, she twlieves that the high quality c;fst~idents at Hryn Mawr, where he initially dreaded tcnrhing hecause

he feared intellectually inferior pupils, enhanced his appre- ciation of women's academic potential. Chemist Evelyn Wil- son, a graduate student of Louis Fieser from 1942 to 1946, recalls that he was one of the few professors who treated fe- male students as seriously as male students. For example, he made an equal effort to find employment for all students after their completion of degree requirements.

Laboratory Work Mary Fieser conducted the majority of her investigations

during the 1930's and 1940's. Harvard chemist Frank Westheimer remembers her laboring "assiduously" in the laboratory, where the high quality of her full-time endeavors was apparent to her colleagues. Doering remarks that apart from Louis Fieser, she "herself was obviously a very gifted experimentalist" and an "active, influential part of the team." Chemist Paul Bartlett of Texas Christian University asserts that she was her husband's "prime co-worker" in experi- mentation that was "the best." Mary is glad she performed a great deal of research early in her career. Not only did she enjoy it, hut she feels that her "writing conveys a closeness to the laboratory as a result."

Mary Fieser's investigations in association with her spouse explored two main topics, the chemistry of quinones and of natural vroducts, especiallv steroids. In regard to quinones, the ~ i e s e r s were pakiculahy interested i n the synthesis of condensed aromatic systems and the determination of the sites at which these compounds were attacked by different reagents. In the 1930's, scientists at the Royal Cancer Hospital in London demonstrated that methylcholanthrene, a poly- cyclic condensed aromatic hydrocarbon, induced cancer. The Fiesers suhseouentlv devoted themselves to the svnthesis of numerous polycyclic aromatics, which as a result became readilv available for medical studv. Perhaus the most famous achievement uf Louis Fitwr' rcsearch team during this pcrio~i was the synthesis uivitsinin I< \set, I ) , invulvini: the rrartim

vitamin K, I

uf phytol with n~ethylnaphthoq~iinune in its rttd~tred i m n . Vitamin K had first henme oiinterest to scientists in 1929 when C. P. Hcnrik D ~ t n of Copenhagen, Ilrnniark, revealed its antihemorrhagic propertirs.

An equally rhnllmging. less wll-knuwn projrrt in this areii wni the Pieser invest~gntim during Wurld War 11 uf nsph- thoquin~~nea as a new c lmr of antimalmills. When thr .lnpn- nese invnsiun of the East lndies in 1912 cut off the Allirs from irhout nine-tenths ui the w,rld's surwlv ofauinine, this work was initiated with government support. ~ & y studied chal- lenging problems such as the mechanism of the surprising oxidative rearrangement shown in 11. She attempted to isolate

and to identify intermediate compounds along the reaction pathway. The Fieser's efforts contributed to the eventual synthesis of lapinone, an effective antimalarial unfortunately proven impractical for therapy because it requires intravenous injection (see III).7

F o r further discussion, see Louis F. Fieser, "The Scientific Method" (New York: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, 1964). pp. 163-191.

188 Journal of Chemical Education

"Topics in Organic Chemistry" in 1963, and "Current Topics in Organic Chemistry" in 1964.

Special Features

Lapinone 111

The Fiesers' study of steroids was an outgrowth of their quinone research since the degradation of steroids produces methylcholanthrene. The couple's eminence in this field was established in part by their classic reference hook, "Natural Products Related to Phenanthrene." Although the first and second editions were written by Louis alone, Mary contributed mightily to the review of chemical literature the volumes re- quired. The third edition was co-authored.8 Also widely rec- ognized was Louis Fieser's laboratory group's participation in the 1951 synthesis of cortisone, a steroid hormone, from desoxycholic acid (see IV).9 Cortisone, used in the treatment

Cortisone lv

of rheumatoid arthritis, became more widely available thereafter. Its therapeutic properties had first been demon- strated by Philip S. Hench a t the Mayo Clinic in the 1930's.

Laboratory Life While a skillful chemist, Mary Fieser maintained an oth-

erwise relatively traditional female image in the laboratory. Doering feels that hy being "warmly concerned" about members of the research team, she played a "tremendous role socially" while making impressive academic contrihutions. Fieser remained devoted and deferential to her spouse, often addressed bv her as "The Boss." She alwavs wore skirts or dresses. ~ o u i s had once insisted that he alone "wear the pants in the familv." Maw's dedication to her husband nersists today. She h k established a postdoctoral fellowship inorganic chemistry in his memory.

Mary Fieser sometimes carried feminine conventions to extremes, much to the amusement of her ro-workers. Wilson'o recalls that Mary's fingernail polish always matched the color of her clothing. Mary also enjoyed wearing a wide variety of extraordinary hats from her huge collection. Fieser's ligbt- hearted sense of the outrageous survives. She owns a red Corvette convertible that she drives on pleasant after- noons.

Chemical Textbooks

Not only did Mary Fieser do extensive research with her husband, she co-authored many textbooks internationally known among chemists. The Fiesers' first accomplishment as a literary team was "Organic Chemistry," a trend-setting, best-selling textbook, published in 1944. They hegan writing the volume in the spring of 1942, when Louis'military research entailed a great deal of traveling. Mary thought it would he beneficial for Louis to keep thinking ahout teaching so that "it wouldn't he strange to him when he returned." After doing background reading, she offered her notes to her husband who then wrote the text. However, Mary collected material at a faster rate than he could manage to process it and, at his suggestion, she began to compose some of the chapters herself. Subsequently, she wrote sections of each volume the couple published. They produced several other textbooks, including "Introduction to Organic Chemistry" in 1946, "Basic Organic Chemistry" in 1958, "Advanced Organic Chemistry" in 1961,

Chemists admire the Fiesers' textbooks for originality as well as excellence. Westheimer oraises these books as "solid. correct, and excellent." He finds that two characteristics distin~uish them from comnetitors of the dav. First. all ex- amplei of chemical reactions were ones that were known to occur exnerimentallv. In comnarable volumes, onlv theoretical sequenc& appeared. second, the hooks inc&p&ate an his- torical, personal element. The footnotes contain one-line biographies of the hundreds of chemists whose work is cired. Westheimer helieves that these brief dt~icriptions, which in- clude iniormatiun about talented. young sc~entists, ha\,e en- couraged s rud~nts to realizt, that they, too, can make impur- rant cmtrihutiuns to science. Chemist Gilbert Stork nf ('(I-

lumbia University emphasizes that the Fiesers' hooks were remarkably well written at a time that few authors in chem- istry used the English language effectively. In addition, Stork notes that much of the material in the Fiesers' volumes was visually retrievable, a novel characteristic when their first textbook appeared. Diagrams of reactions were important pieces of information in themselves rather than simply aids to understanding the narrative. Stork notes that. nreviouslv. little thought h id been given to meaningful, $me-saving graphics, now taken for granted."

Flair for Style In addition to writing numerous textbooks, the Fiesers

published a "Style Guide for Chemists" in 1960. This volume, still in print and selling contains the essentials of chemical exposition. Westheimer finds that this hook explains the "accuracy and simplicity" the Fiesers epitomize in their publications, always "very straightforward, clear, and con- cise." Wilson recalls that Maw Fieser. "a sunerh erammarian!' . .. took great pr~dc in sharing h~r ' . toral~~mmiand c1f the English In~iruure" in the"Srvle(;~~idr."an mdisucnsable tool for maw chemists.

Fieser explains that it is very difficult to remain strictly grammatically correct in chemical literature. The action ex- pressed hy any verb or part of speech must he performed by the subject of each sentence. In accounts of experiments, it is almost impossible to avoid dangling participles. Never- theless, a great admirer of the English lexicographer Henry Watson Fowler, Mary has never taken stylistic liberties. She describes herself and her husband, a more instinctive although equally gifted writer, as "friendly enemies" who would argue for an hour over the placement of a comma. Fieser recalls that her sister Ruth often suggested the by-line "Fieser versus Fieser" rather than "Fieser and Fieser."

Reagents The Fiesers began to publish the research reference works

"Reagents for Organic Synthesis" in 1967. At this time, their general textbooks, thought to he the best in the world for more than a decade, no longer predominated. The volumes' ex- perimental emphasis, a reflection of the interests of the Fiesers, became a drawback as theoretical organic chemistry became increasingly important during the mid-1950's. As a result, the Fiesers directed their attention to chemical svn- thesis, an area in which they continued to he experts.

Instead of a fourth edition, the Fiesers published "Steroids" in 1950

'See Fieser. "The Scientific Method." pp. 159-162. for further discussion.

'O Interview, Evelyn Wilson. January 1982, New Brunswick, NJ. " Interview. Gilbert Stork. Januarv 1982. New York. N.V. .~ ~

l2 ~ccordini to Martha J: bow o f Krieger publishing Company, Melbourne, FL.

Volume 62 Number 3 March 1985 189

"Reagents" provides an exhaustive account of orofessional grateful to Harvard eraduate students. from whom she "nicks literature describing chemical substances useful in converting one organic molecule to another in the synthesis of a particular product. The first volume offers easy access to liteiature be- fore 1967; the additional volumes discuss subsequent advances in laboratory work. The well-indexed compendium is geared toward experimentalists who may conduct the transforma- tions presented. When deciding whether or not to include a given piece of information, Mary Fieser asks herself, "How would someone run this reaction? Is the yield good enough to justify doing so?" She appears to possess an uncanny ability to discern the most useful material. Her efforts free other chemists from performing their own thorough surveys of publications.

Big Boost

The importance of "Reagents" is emphasized by organic chemists everywhere. Corey notes that these "very useful, well-produced, well-written reference books" are employed "by practically every research organic chemist" because they provide a "convenient, reliable" presentation of chemical puhlications. Doering describes the Fiesers' writing as "highly influential," and remarks that there is "no difference" between the quality of the earlier and later volumes of "Reagents." Mount Holvoke chemist Kenneth Williamson refers to the series as a "careful compilation" that represents a "phenom- enal amount of work," an "extraordinary effort" to "comb the world's organic chemistry literature constantly." In addition, he finds "Reagents" unusual in its correctness of detail; rarely will one find an error in a formula.'3 "'Reaeents' is like a Bible," says chemist Max Tishler of Wesleyan Eollege. "That's where Marv Fieser's ereatest contribution to chemistrv - lies." ' 4

Chemists feel that these reference works influence the course of research. They make experimentalists aware of ad- vances reported even in obscure journals. University of Washington chemist Paul Hopkins points out that the vol- umes are so well written, thev make instructive reading en- joyable for chemists. ~ c i e n t k t s benefit from the general knowledge thev acquire hv examining a "Reagents" book from . . cover ru ruvvr during their Irisurr timr, as well us from the sperific inf~~rniutmn thev seek during particular projects.' j

Fieser's Methods

Marv Fieser has discovered what she does best. When the Fiesers began writing as a team during World War 11, Louis noticed her "unusual ability for finding, collecting, and reading material," tasks she enjoys even though most chemists do not. "One day when I came into the lab," she recalls, "he had cleared everything away so that I wouldn't be tempted to do more experimental work." Since that time, Mary has di- rected her efforts primarily toward writing rather than re- search. "There's alwavs ulents to do," she notes. "You never . . run out of material. . . . and there's always something inter- esting, even in a dull paper."

Fieser, who possesses a command of French, German, and Latin, reads all the journals in organic chemistry, worldwide, to gather material for "Reagents." Surprisingly dedicated, Mary works an average of 15 hours every day on the series. She writes "Reaeents" in her home in Belmont. Massachusetts. where she works at a small card table and writes in longhand. "I think better with a nencil." savs Fieser. who feels this habit . . results from years of taking notes in lectures. She composes final copy after organizing her thoughts only mentally. "Louis always said to write it right the first time," she explains. Wilson remembers that after reading "by the page rather than by the line," Mary Fieser exhibited "remarkable retention" and "great analytical powers" that facilitated her writing. Corey credits Fieser's success in larger part to the fact that she is "100 percent devoted to writing books."

How does Mary Fieser keep up-to-date? She is particularly

up d l sorts of aleai" not enunmtrr~.d in her syat~matic sur\,(:y of rhemiral literature. "I have learned as much from talking to students," claims Fieser, "as any student hssever le;~rnl-d from me." Shr is grateful rhat these students also encouraged her to continut! "Rviugmra" a h r 1.ouis'denth. They perform in\,iilual)le proolrt~i~il~ng, too. "There wouldn't br any 'Re. agents' if ir weren't for them," sht! insists. hI.1ry Fieser has also kept abreast of new drrrlupments in chenlistry by auditing Harvard graduate rourses, oi tht, grriutvsr help in areas in which shv 1s not fundamentally mterrsted. For example, Westheimer remembers that Fieier mended Nohel laureate Kunrad Hloch's biochrmisr ry dass approximately unw t.wry I'IV~. wars. C'cgrev nraises her as "an exceedinrlv intellirent . . -. woman" who remains "intellectually very much alive."

View of Women

Maw Fieser believes women nossess traits that distineuish them &om men. As mentionedkarlier, she feels they display greater sensitivity to the needs of others. In addition, she as- serts that females are less apt than males to cope with the new or the unknown. She cites personal experiences to clarify this point. For example, whenshe, as a women, asked her husband to take her on a canoeing and camping trip, he, a skillful outdoorsman, refused because she "couldn't do a man's job," necessary to "carry her own weight." Although terribly disaonointed. Fieser found this refusal oerfectlv reasonable. To &is day, she has never gone camping. 'Mary also recalls that when she and her husband were working on the first volume of "Reagents," she had taken notes on a large number of index cards and stored them in a big box. "I don't think I would have done anything with them a f b y myself. I wouldn't have had the courage," remarks Fieser. "It's typical of women. I t was too different. There had never been a hook quite like 'Re- agents."' She adds, "But the cards didn't bother Louis. He oiganized them by reagent and we eventually got something out of it." Mars argues that women need more help and re- . . assurance to do something out of the ordinary became since childhood they have never been expected to he adventurous. Fieser considers herself lucky that her husband provided her with the encouragement necessary to overcome this weakness in her academic endeavors.

Although she perceives females and males as possessing certain dissimilar traits. Marv Fieser believes that ultimatelv i t~ i s wrong to separate people by sex In part because of this conviction. she has never been active in women's crouos. with the exception of her membership in the women'; division of the American Chemical Society. Nevertheless, Fieser agrees that in certain cases it is beneficial to segregate the sexes. For instance, she praises the Garvan Medal, an award given to women for outstanding contributions to chemistry. She be- lieves that female chemists' achievements in most cases do not yet allow them to compete successfully with men for awards in chemistry. A special category of recognition encourages women to persevere. Similarly, Mary Fieser commends the policy of M. Carey Thomas, president of Bryn Mawr College from 1894 to 1922, who chose always to hire a woman to fill a faculty position if applicants were equally well-qualified. Fieser feels this measure boosted women in academe when their opportunities in r~,educi~tiun:~l institutims wrrt. >evert-ly limited Marv views both of these distinrtiuns between males and females a s expedient.

Fieser takes an eaualls oraematic annroach to the mnltinle . . . .. . . roles of women. Sht. has t hrivtd is a slx>usc ;~nd curwr wwnrn. M;wv feels e ~ d i u,mnun should do what she ftd; 1s best for hvr. whether she chooses to be a wife, mother, and/or professional.

l3 Interview, Kenneth Williamson, December 1981, Mount Holyoke, MA.

'4 Interview, Max Tishler, January 1982, Wesleyan, MA. lS Interview. Paul Hopkins, February 1982, Cambridge, MA.

190 Journal of Chemical Education

She stresses that although many women perform two or three of these roles, a woman who opts for a more limited range of activities should not view herself as inadequate in any way. Her sister Ruth, for instance, never married. "I suppose she was just busy being a mathematician," speculates Fieser. The Fiesers themselves had no children, so she never attempted to juggle the responsibilities of a wife and chemist with those of a mother. It is interesting to note, however, that the couple provided a home for numerous cats, as many as seven at once. The first pet they acquired, a seal-point Siamese, was named Synthetic Vitamin K Pooh in honor of the Fieser synthesis of the molecule at the time the cat was horn. Since the Fiesers included photographs of their cats in publications, these an- imals became their trademark.

l6 I am especially grateful to Richard Johnson of Rhom and Haas Research Labwatwies and Paul w i n s of the University of Washington for their assistance with this article.

A Particular Desire Mary Fieser has accomplished a great deal for science as

well as for women. These achievements have resulted from a desire to excell as a chemist ratheE than a wish to prevail as a feminist. Shaped by her childhood experiences, Mary's image of women allowed her to pursue an active professional life in close association with her husband at a time that female scientists were rare. Regardless of their circumstances, Mary Fieser's contributions to chemistry are significant and have hastened recognition of women's professional promise, which has inspired females to pursue careers in science. Women today seek faculty positions of their own, and in most cases consider females equal to males. Mary Fieser's thoughts and experiences reflect changes in ideas and behaviors that gradually take place as women's roles broaden. Her success also reveals that much can he achieved by women while these changes occur.16

Volume 62 Number 3 March 1985 191