alice january october american engineer woman engineer hired founder president despite entering field time engineering seen inappropriate career woman held variety leadership positions eventually owner engineering firm time developed gas density switch space program including landing missions early life born orange new_jersey chemical engineer decided early age wished engineer parents supported opposed desired career path teachers classmates tried discourage engineer viewing socially unacceptable role woman graduated received bachelor degree chemical engineering women class college worked treasury office store telephone operator university library receiving undergraduate degree stayed years research assistant studied history took additional classes night career took job designing testing crystal new_jersey woman employed engineer spent years working death father joined new_jersey based firm father founded served chief engineer vice president charge engineering purchasing control company uncle designed patented gas density switch later space program including moon landing pioneer field sensors detected devices reaching structural limits authored technical papers gas density switch pursued master degree physics received women based east_coast united_states began meeting organization goal advance female engineers increase female participation engineering organization incorporated years later served president organization consecutive terms presented highest honor toured united_states cause female engineers outreach speaking engagements believed female engineers initially closely watched quickly accepted married fellow engineer held director level engineering positions starting consulting firm couple selected month long research speaking tour south_america focused international cooperation american south american engineers died sold took late husband consulting business selected serve director represented united_states died october princeton new_jersey awards professional honors role magazine named invited join highest professional honor engineering sixth woman join organization inducted received honorary female recipient honorary doctorate member
Beatrice Hicks