Sylvia Stoesser

Sylvia Marie Goergen was born on July 18, 1901,{{Cite web |title=Sylvia Stoesser (1901–1991) |url=http://www.michiganwomenshalloffame.org/Images/Stoesser,%20Sylvia.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160624005854/http://www.michiganwomenshalloffame.org/Images/Stoesser,%20Sylvia.pdf |archive-date=June 24, 2016 |access-date=June 27, 2019 |website=Michigan Women's Historical Center & Hall of Fame}}

to Teresa M. and George J. Goergen of Buffalo, New York.{{Cite news |date=April 23, 1950 |title=Deaths: Goergen |page=13B |work=Buffalo Courier-Express |location=Buffalo, New York |url=http://fultonhistory.com/Newspapers%2021/Buffalo%20NY%20Courier%20Express/Buffalo%20NY%20Courier%20Express%201950/Buffalo%20NY%20Courier%20Express%201950%20-%203812.pdf |access-date=June 27, 2019}}

She attended the University of Buffalo, where she received her B.S. magna cum laude in chemistry in 1923.{{Cite news |date=June 13, 1923 |title=More about Commencement |page=2 |work=The Bee |location=Buffalo, N.Y |url=http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/np00130002/1923-06-13/ed-1/seq-2/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 27, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627180702/http://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/np00130002/1923-06-13/ed-1/seq-2/ |archive-date=June 27, 2019}} She then attended the State University of Iowa, completing her master's thesis, The potential of the silver in silver iodide electrode in 1925 and earning her Ph.D. in physical chemistry with the thesis The adsorption and catalytic properties of stannous acid in 1928. Her advisor was James Newton Pearce (1873–1936).{{Cite journal |date=September 15, 1926 |title=Graduate Theses |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D30yAQAAMAAJ&q=GOERGEN,+SYLVIA+MARIE&pg=PR48-IA21 |journal=University of Iowa Studies |volume=First Series |issue=101 |access-date=July 23, 2019}} On August 16, 1929, in Rock Creek, Maryland, she married Wesley Carl Stoesser (July 6, 1901 – March 22, 1989), a fellow chemist who had also graduated from the University of Buffalo and the University of Iowa.{{Cite news |date=March 24, 1989 |title=Wesley C. Stoesser (Obituary) |work=Midland Daily News}}{{Cite web |title=Sorted By Name STOESSER, JOHN N thru STOESSIGER, LUCINDA K |url=http://sortedbyname.com/pages/s239257.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190629053749/http://sortedbyname.com/pages/s239257.html |archive-date=June 29, 2019 |access-date=June 29, 2019 |website=Sorted By Name}}

Prior to her marriage, she was hired to study sugar at the National Bureau of Standards. She and Richard F. Jackson were given the task of finding a sweetener suitable for people with diabetes. They were the first to prepare Difructose anhydride I.{{Cite book |last=McDonald |first=Emma J. |title=Advances in Carbohydrate Chemistry |date=January 1, 1946 |publisher=Academic Press |isbn=9780080562612 |editor-last=Pigman |editor-first=W. W. |volume=2 |location=New York |page=268 |chapter=The Polyfructosans and Difructose Anhydrides |access-date=June 28, 2019 |editor-last2=Wolfrom |editor-first2=M. L. |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=n7A8lYX3-SsC&pg=PA268}}{{Cite journal |last=Jackson |first=Richard J. |last2=Goergen |first2=Sylvia M. |date=1929 |title=A crystalline difructose anhydride from hydrolized inulin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KPoSAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA28 |journal=Bureau of Standards Journal of Research |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=27–38 |doi=10.6028/jres.003.005 |access-date=June 28, 2019 |doi-access=free}}

In July 1928, Wesley Stoesser was hired to work in the Organic Lab at the Dow Chemical Company.{{rp|112}} In 1929, Stoesser was hired as well. She was the first woman to become a scientist at Dow, and was hired directly by Herbert Henry Dow, rather than going through the usual interview and hiring process.{{rp|112}}

According to one account, Wesley confided to Grace A. Dow that Sylvia would only marry and move if she had a job in her field, and Grace interceded with her husband Henry.{{Cite journal |last=Bohning |first=James H. |date=2004 |title=Styrene at Dow for the World War II Synthetic Rubber Program |journal=Chemical Heritage Magazine |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=8–9, 40–45 |quote="When driving Herbert Dow's wife, Grace, to church on a Sunday morning, Stoesser told her about his fiancee in Washington and that their marriage depended on suitable employment for both."}}

According to the Stoessers' daughter, Judith Jaastad (later Siembieda), only the two couples knew that the new hire was a woman before she walked into the Physical Research Laboratory to start work. Stories also suggest that she was assigned to Dow's Physical Research Laboratory because at that time, it was near a library, the only building with washroom facilities for women.{{rp|112}}

At the time of her hiring in 1929, she was the only person with a Ph.D. in Dow's Physical Research Laboratory.{{Cite web |title=Guide to the Sylvia M. Stoesser papers |url=http://collguides.lib.uiowa.edu/?IWA0047 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920015502/http://collguides.lib.uiowa.edu/?IWA0047 |archive-date=September 20, 2015 |access-date=June 27, 2019 |website=University of Iowa}} Contemporaries emphasize that she was willing to help anyone who asked, making her expertise available both within and across departments.{{rp|112}}

{{blockquote|She was the first female chemist in Dow Research anywhere, and certainly the first Ph.D. In our lab, she was the scientist of the group. Everybody went to her to try out their ideas and get help. – Ray Boundy{{Cite book |last=Bohning |first=James J. |url=https://oh.sciencehistory.org/oral-histories/boundy-ray-h |title=Ray M. Boundy, Transcript of an Interview Conducted by James J. Bohning at Higgins Lake, Michigan on 21 August 1986 |date=21 August 1986 |publisher=Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry |location=Philadelphia, PA |pages=21–24 |access-date=30 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718034649/https://oh.sciencehistory.org/oral-histories/boundy-ray-h |archive-date=18 July 2019 |url-status=live}}{{rp|22}}}}

She was referred to as the "nasal chemist" because she could identify many of the ingredients in an unknown laboratory mixture by smelling it.{{Cite book |last=Karpiuk |first=Robert S. |title=Dow research pioneers : recollections 1888–1949 |date=1984 |publisher=Pendell Pub. |location=Midland, Michigan |quote=Sylvia was called the nasal chemist, because she would often identify the components of an unknown mixture produced in the laboratory by simply sniffing it.}}{{rp|112}}

After her daughter's birth in 1940, Stoesser was no longer employed on the Dow staff as a research chemist. However, she continued to consult for Dow.

While working for Dow, Stoesser registered at least twenty-six patents.{{Cite web |title=Significant Patents Awarded to Sylvia M. Stoesser |url=https://chemistry.illinois.edu/newsroom/events/lectures/sylvia-stoesser-lectures-chemistry/significant-patents-awarded-sylvia-m |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627143614/https://chemistry.illinois.edu/newsroom/events/lectures/sylvia-stoesser-lectures-chemistry/significant-patents-awarded-sylvia-m |archive-date=June 27, 2019 |access-date=July 23, 2019 |website=University of Illinois}} She helped to develop products including dry cleaning solvents, saran, polystyrene, styrofoam, high-pressure lubricants,{{rp|112}} and organic inhibitors for use in oil wells.{{rp|112}} One patent was held solely in her name. The rest list fifteen different co-owners, reflecting her extensive involvement in projects at Dow.

One patent includes her husband as a co-owner.

Five of Stoesser's patents involved the use of acid inhibitors to increase crude oil production in oil wells, a type of well stimulation.

The flow of oil wells had been stimulated by the addition of acids as early as 1865, but acids tended to damage well casings and other equipment. Approached in 1932, John Grebe of Dow insisted that any acid used to improve oil well production must include an inhibitor to mitigate corrosion.{{rp|237–240}}

One of several scientists tasked with developing effective inhibitors, Stoesser is credited as the "key inventor" of second-state inhibitors,{{rp|157}} achieving "the second great milestone in the history of acidizing" due to her work in 1932–1933.{{rp|5}} Her work was "particularly important"{{rp|240}} because she shifted focus from inorganic to organic compounds, seeking something that would produce a protective film on metallic surfaces.{{rp|240}} The organic inhibitors (including mercaptans) that she discovered were much more effective than the inorganics previously tried (arsenic acid and copper salts).{{rp|240}}{{Cite book |last=Kalfayan |first=Leonard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UUprmeNJ9LwC&pg=PA5 |title=Production enhancement with acid stimulation |date=December 31, 2008 |publisher=Pennwell Corp |isbn=978-1-59370-156-7 |edition=2nd |pages=5–8}}

Burgeoning demand for oil well treatment led to the creation of the Dow Well Service, which became the subsidiary Dowell Incorporated in November 1932.{{rp|7}} Stoesser's inhibitor research was essential to the creation and success of Dowell.{{rp|245}}

Another problem that affected wells was the buildup of substances that clogged the well and restricted production. Stoesser and L. C. Chamberlain developed an organic solvent mixture that could be used to remove built-up paraffin deposits. Marketed as Dowell Paraffin Solvent, it contained carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, and petroleum naphtha. It was a very successful product for Dowell.{{rp|245}}

Stoesser and John Grebe may also have described the first known case of the technique that is now called hydraulic fracturing.{{rp|8}}

Another of Stoesser's assignments was to study cleaning solvents such as naphtha. Naphtha posed a combustion risk, and attempts were being made to ban its use.{{rp|246–248}} Stoesser developed an alternative dry cleaning fluid using perchloroethylene that was non-flammable and non-explosive.{{rp|248}}{{Cite book |last=Amos |first=J. Lawrence |title=A History of the Dow Chemical Physics Lab : the freedom to be creative |date=1990 |publisher=Marcel Dekker, Inc. |editor-last=Boundy |editor-first=Ray H. |location=New York and Basel |pages=71–79 |chapter=Chlorinated solvents |editor-last2=Amos |editor-first2=J. Lawrence}} She also developed inhibitors that helped to prevent metal corrosion in the dry-cleaning equipment.{{rp|248}}

Twelve of Stoesser's patents relate to the development of early plastics in the 1930s.

Stoesser was responsible for significant improvements in plastics production. Dow wanted to find ways to use benzene. Benzene reacted with ethylene to form the liquid hydrocarbon ethylbenzene. Ethylbenzene could be hydrogenated to form the flammable liquid monomer styrene. Styrene could be used to make the hydrocarbon polymer polystyrene.{{Cite book |last=Boundy |first=Ray H. |title=A History of the Dow Chemical Physics Lab : the freedom to be creative |date=1990 |publisher=Marcel Dekker, Inc. |editor-last=Boundy |editor-first=Ray H. |location=New York and Basel |pages=89–99 |chapter=Styrene |editor-last2=Amos |editor-first2=J. Lawrence}}

The Dow Physics Laboratory began working with styrene in 1931.{{rp|92}}

Styrene was difficult to process. Reactions were highly sensitive to even small differences in temperature, and styrene was capable of reacting with itself and releasing additional heat. Even in very small amounts, some of the compounds that were produced during processing could contaminate the desired end products of the reactions. As a result, polymers made from styrene were not stable: they tended to craze and change color over time.

Stoesser took on the analytical work of testing the quality of the styrene and the polymers that were created.{{rp|92–93}}

She also studied the effects of various inhibitors on the processes. After recommending the purchase and use of a special rotary Podbielnick still,{{rp|92–93}}

and distilling the styrene six times,{{rp|258}} she was able to successfully produce small quantities of pure styrene for use as a standard.{{rp|92–93}} This demonstrated that it was possible to make a pure form which was stable.

Stoesser's work was essential in identifying points in the process where contamination or uncontrolled heating caused impurities. Impurities due to traces of a sulfur compound were eventually tracked back to production of the original ethylene, from which they were transferred to ethylbenzene and styrene.{{rp|258}}

Working with Jim Pierce, Stoesser developed an inhibitor to produce a polystyrene of extremely high quality. This was a key step towards a low-cost commercial process for polymerization of the polystyrene Styron and a related plastic called Styraloy. Styron was crystal-clear and could be colored.{{Cite book |last=Whitehead |first=Don |url=https://archive.org/details/dowstoryhistoryo00whit |title=The Dow story : the history of the Dow Chemical Company |date=1968 |publisher=McGraw-Hill |isbn=978-0-07-069948-9 |edition=Reprint |location=New York etc. |page=[https://archive.org/details/dowstoryhistoryo00whit/page/146 146] |url-access=registration}}

Styrene was important in creating synthetic substitutes for rubber, which were of great strategic importance in World War II. It also had great commercial importance.{{rp|91}} Styron, a polystyrene, was the first of the modern plastics. It became Dow's number one product in both sales volume and earnings, during Dow's first century.{{Cite book |last=Brandt |first=E. N. |url=https://archive.org/details/growthcompanydow0000bran |title=Growth Company: Dow Chemical's First Century |date=1997 |publisher=Michigan State University Press |isbn=978-0-87013-426-5 |location=East Lansing, MI |url-access=registration}}{{rp|582–583}}

In 1941, Dow company developed processes for extruding polystyrene to form foam polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam.{{Cite web |title=The Timeline |url=https://polystyrenegian.weebly.com/timeline.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190722171444/https://polystyrenegian.weebly.com/timeline.html |archive-date=July 22, 2019 |access-date=July 22, 2019 |website=Polystyrene}}

Stoesser contributed the brief reminiscence "A stimulating group" to the edited collection A History of the Dow Chemical Physics Lab : the freedom to be creative (1990).{{Cite book |last=Stoesser |first=Sylvia |title=A History of the Dow Chemical Physics Lab : the freedom to be creative |date=1990 |publisher=Marcel Dekker, Inc. |editor-last=Boundy |editor-first=Ray H. |location=New York and Basel |pages=113–116 |chapter=A stimulating group |editor-last2=Amos |editor-first2=J. Lawrence}}

She describes the atmosphere created in her group, directed by John Grebe:

{{blockquote|In our laboratory no idea was discarded as being too crazy to investigate. In fact, we were encouraged daily to consider the impossible goal. Along with that freedom of thought and encouragement to try the impossible came many failures at the laboratory stage – but there were also many new product and process successes. – Sylvia Stoesser{{rp|115}} }}

Stoesser co-edited Styrene, Its Polymers, Copolymers, and Derivatives (1952) with Ray H. Boundy and Raymond F. Boyer. Stoesser is credited by Boundy as having been the primary writer of the two-volume work.{{Cite journal |last=Bohning |first=James H. |date=2004 |title=Styrene at Dow for the World War II Synthetic Rubber Program |journal=Chemical Heritage Magazine |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=8–9, 40–45 |quote="Boundy gives the real credit to Stoesser, who left retirement to work on it: 'If she hadn't come back, we never would have had that book published.'"}}

Stoesser was the first woman to be elected to the Midland, Michigan, school board (1950–1958). She was a volunteer at the Midland hospital and at the King's Daughters Home for the Elderly.{{Cite book |last=Midland Center for the Arts |title=Voices : extraordinary women of Midland County / an original exhibition presented by Midland Center for the Arts; Midland County Historical Society at the Doan History Center, 2011–2012 |date=2011 |publisher=Pediment Pub.}}

Stoesser died in Midland, Michigan, on March 17, 1991.

On August 12, 1991, the Dow Chemical Company first aired a 30-second television commercial, "Inspiration", as part of its "Dow lets you do great things" campaign. The commercial highlighted Stoesser's achievements as the first woman scientist at Dow. The Dow newsletter, Dow Today quoted from the script: "Dr. Stoesser created a new career path for women, and for her company... the same company that leads the nation in patents granted to women over the last decade."{{Cite news |date=August 9, 1991 |title=New 'Great Things' commercial makes tv debut this month |work=Dow Today |publisher=Dow Chemical Company}}

Stoesser was inducted into the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame as of October 22, 1992, as announced in the Midland Daily News of July 5, 1992.{{Cite news |date=July 5, 1992 |title=Dow's first woman chemist to join women's hall of fame |work=Midland Daily News}}

As of 2000, with the support of alumna Yulan Tong and Dow AgroSciences, the department of chemistry at the University of Illinois established a lecture series for the Sylvia M. Stoesser Lecturer in Chemistry, which recognizes women from outside academia who have made outstanding contributions.{{Cite web |title=About Sylvia M. Stoesser and the lecture |url=https://chemistry.illinois.edu/newsroom/events/lectures/sylvia-stoesser-lectures-chemistry/about-sylvia-m-stoesser-and-lecture |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190627143451/https://chemistry.illinois.edu/newsroom/events/lectures/sylvia-stoesser-lectures-chemistry/about-sylvia-m-stoesser-and-lecture |archive-date=June 27, 2019 |access-date=June 27, 2019 |publisher=University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign}}

In 2017, at the opening of the Global Dow Center in Midland, Michigan, the Dow Chemical Company announced that its Employee Development Center would be renamed the Stoesser Center.{{Cite news |last=Trylch |first=Rebecca |date=July 31, 2017 |title=Dow Chemical celebrates grand opening, ground breaking |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Events-held-Monday-for-Dows-new-corporate-building-437664673.html |url-status=live |access-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728011109/https://www.abc12.com/content/news/Events-held-Monday-for-Dows-new-corporate-building-437664673.html |archive-date=July 28, 2019}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• Bohning, James J. (1990) "Subterfuge and Patriotism: Styrene at Dow for the World War II Synthetic Rubber Program.", a paper presented to the American Chemical Society Annual Meeting in 1990.

• [http://collguides.lib.uiowa.edu/?IWA0047 Guide to the Sylvia M. Stoesser papers], University of Iowa (Finding aid mentions a videocassette of the 30-second television commercial "Inspiration")
• [https://digital.sciencehistory.org/collections/zs25x847n Dow Chemical Company Historical Image Collection], Science History Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Also see [https://othmerlib.sciencehistory.org/record=b1069527 Othmer Library Finding Aid] for Dow Historical Collection Photograph Inventory.)

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stoesser, Sylvia}}

Category:1901 births

Category:1991 deaths

Category:Scientists from Buffalo, New York

Category:People from Midland, Michigan

Category:University at Buffalo alumni

Category:University of Iowa alumni

Category:School board members in Michigan

Category:American physical chemists

Category:American polymer scientists and engineers

Category:Dow Chemical Company employees

Category:American women chemists

Category:20th-century American women scientists

Category:20th-century American chemists