Jeannette Brown

Jeannette Elizabeth Brown (born May 13, 1934[1]) is a retired American organic medicinal chemist, historian, and author.

[4] In 1958, she became the first African American woman to achieve a master's degree from the University of Minnesota in organic chemistry.

[6] This combination creates the antibiotic Primaxin (imipenem/cilastatin), which is used to treat severe internal infections, as well as diseases caused by flesh-eating bacteria and some types of pneumonia.

In order to succeed in industry, she believed that one needed to be an effective communicator, be able to work on a team, and have a strong scientific education in an ever-changing field.

From 1993 to 2002 she was a visiting professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology,[3][4] where she also helped recruit black students to enter STEM fields and worked on science education issues in the state.

Brown has also devoted significant professional effort to diversity and outreach projects; she served on the National Science Foundation Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women Minorities and Persons with Disabilities and was the historian of the American Chemical Society's Women Chemist Committee.

In an interview with the University of Minnesota, Brown advises young women entering the scientific fields to plow ahead despite the inevitable slights that will come their way.