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Documenting the lives of pioneering women engineers, these interviews capture individual experiences within various engineering disciplines across the United States. Each personal story is unique yet collectively they illustrate the significant achievement made by women who began their engineering careers in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. These oral histories offer a glimpse into the private and professional lives of women engineers as well as the founding and development of an organization that has promoted women in science and engineering since 1950, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
The development of technology and science is seen as one of the primary historical events of the twentieth century and women engineers and SWE have played an integral role. Profiles of SWE Pioneers provides 30 first-hand accounts and personal perspectives on the development of their field, their culture, and their impact on the history of women and engineering. Interviewees include several “women firsts,” many of who are longtime members of SWE, which currently maintains a membership of over 17,000 women engineers nationwide.
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These oral histories address questions relating to women in non-traditional professions, career guidance for young women in engineering, the impact of World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War on women in the sciences and engineering, the role of engineering in society, and patterns of women’s entrance into science and engineering during the last 50-75 years.
 They hired me to head up a design group that worked on fax machines. It was over long lines, of course -- and black and white. My daughter still has a framed picture on the wall of one of the first faxes that I had received that was very well done. And it’s so interesting that now, fax is taken for granted, and I worked on it way back then.
-- Josephine Webb,
Electrical Engineer
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The Collection
The oral histories are part of the Society of Women Engineers Collection at the Walter P.
Reuther Library, College of Urban, Labor, and Metropolitan Affairs, Wayne State University. Both transcripts and videotapes are available for historical and educational purposes. All other rights are reserved by the Society of Women Engineers.
Interviews include:
- Yvonne Clark
Margaret Eller
Bonnie Dunbar
Ann Fletcher
Evelyn Fowler
Eleanor Baum
Lois Bey
Pat Brown
Isabelle French
Lois Graham
Arminta Harness
Ivy Hooks
Suzanne Jenniches
Barbara Johnson
Margaret Kipilo
Stella Lawrence
Anna Longobardo
Alva Matthews
Naomi McAfee
Dorothy Morris
Irene Peden
Carolyn Phillips
Elaine Pitts
Elizabeth Plunkett
Betty Preece
Gloria Reinish
Irene Sharpe
Margaret Taber
Maryly Van Leer Peck
Jo Webb
A Rich Resource
Oral Histories recall the past, inform the present, and guide the future. They serve as unique and valuable historical documentation with a range of applications such as:
Historical Research
Career Guidance
Historical and/or Educational Projects Or Organization Anniversaries
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 I worked on the Apollo proposal design and development. And every time we’d have a flight, one of the astronauts would look at me and say, “Is the EMS going to work, Bobbie?” I think the Lunar Landing was the coup de grace for me. It was great. … you wouldn’t dream you could do that, and we did it.
–- Barbara “Bobbie” Johnson,
Aeronautical Engineer
For Further Information
To make an appointment to visit the archives or discuss utilizing these oral histories please contact:
Deborah Rice, SWE Archivist
Walter P. Reuther Library
5401 Cass Ave.
Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202
313-577-9373
FAX: 313-577-4300
Email: archives@swe.org
Information on using materials at the Reuther Library can be found at www.reuther.wayne.edu.
Library Hours are as follows:
Mon.- Tues. 11:00 am - 6:45 pm
Wed.- Fri. 9:00 am - 4:45pm
Sat.- Sun. Closed
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