I am the current 2009 Ullyot Scholar at the Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF). I have been at CHF for two months working on my project The History of African American Women Chemists. Barbara Ullyot and her late husband Glen are major contributors to CHF and they sponsor this two month Scholarship for independent scholars like me. I am truly grateful for this award as it enabled me to continue my research and even submit a proposal to a publisher for publication. Note I have not yet heard from the publisher, which means that it might be good news or just that it is summer and every one is on vacation.
As soon as I got to CHF I wanted to send Barbara Ullyot a thank you note, but I was told that it is usually done at the end. But I did thank her in person. Barbara Ullyot had a new project at ACS to start the endowment for Project SEED. She was on that team. So I saw her at the Project SEED Anniversary Symposium and I said: "I am the current Ullyot Scholar at CHF." She said:"I know." Then I thanked her and told her she would receive the first autographed copy of my book. Little did I know that she was suffering from lung cancer. I will follow through and send a copy of my book to her son.
Those of you who have been ACS members and councilors for as long as I have will remember her as Barabara Hodson when she was the staff person in charge of meetings and membership. If you become a councilor you become friends with the ACS staff. At least that's the way it was in the old days. They became like family. It is the same sort of today except the family has changed and all the old faces have retired or died. The new staff members have been promoted to take their place or left for other positions.
But I guess I learned something. Always thank people who help you. I am glad that I did thank Barbara Ullyot when I saw her so that she knew that I was grateful for the award.
For those of you who remember Barbara Ullyot her obituary is at the following web page; https://www.usna.com/SSLPage.aspx?rss=obits_arch&referrer=&pid=8246.
Her first husband was a Naval man so she will be buried in Arlington Cemetery next to him and the memoral service will be held on July 30 at Ginger Cove in Annapolis, the retirement community in which she lived.
I wondered if the ACS was going to do a memorial to her. But her obituary says contributions should be made in her name to the ACS Project SEED Scholarship Fund.
Since I was a former chair of the Project SEED Committee, I donate to Project SEED every year and you should too. I hope that you will do it in her memory if you knew her or just because it is a good cause.
Jeannette Brown
