University of Wyoming
Sara Jane Rhoads was born on June 1, 1920, in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended Kansas City, Missouri, public schools through junior college. In 1941, she graduated from the University of Chicago with a bachelor's of science degree in chemistry. She worked in research and development at the Lindsay Light and Chemical Company in Chicago from 1941 to 1943; was an instructor in science at Radford School in El Paso, Texas(1943-1944), and an instructor of chemistry at Hollins College, Virginia (1944-1945). Rhoads earned her doctorate in organic chemistry in 1949 from Columbia University, New York, and conducted postdoctoral research with Professor Vladimir Prilog in Zurich, Switzerland from 1956 to 1957.
Rhoads joined the faculty of the University of Wyoming in September 1948. She initiated the undergraduate research program in the Department of Chemistry, was instrumental in the establishment of the Department's doctoral program, and served as acting head of the Chemistry department from 1967 to 1968. Her many awards include AAUW Fellowship (1947-1948), NSF Senior Post Doctoral Fellowship (1956-1957), MCA Teaching Award (1975), and the Garvan Medal of the American Chemical Society (1982). She retired from the Department in 1984. In 1992, an annual lecture series in organic chemistry was established at the University of Wyoming in honor of Dr. Rhoads and her friend and colleague, Dr. Rebecca Raulins. The first lecturer of the series was Dr. Richard E. Smalley, Dr. Rhoads' nephew. Dr. Sara Jane Rhoads died May 1, 1993.
The Sara Jane Rhoads papers, 1938-1994, contain information about Dr. Sara Jane Rhoads, her academic achievements, academic and research awards, activity on women in science and on standards of higher educations. Also induced are publications, speeches, letters of congratulations and nominations for awards, Dean of Arts and sciences search committee business (1973-1975), and a small amount of personal information.
There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes, and the collection is open to the public.
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
There are no known other archival collections created by at the date of processing.
This material was received from Rebecca Raulins in February 1994.
The collection was processed by Barbara Barrows and Judy Brown, November 1995, revised by D.C. Thompson, February 1997.
Item Description, Box Number, Folder Number, Collection Name, Collection Number, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
This series contains biographical material, correspondence, photographs, publications, research notes, speeches, and subject files.
Contains passports, resumes, lists of publications and notes
Garvan Medal Award (program, photograph, correspondence clippings
Press Clippings and Publications
Class work from Junior College, Kansas City, Missouri
Regarding research, publications, and other professional matters
Nominating Sara Jane Rhoads for George Duke Humphrey Distinguished Faculty Award
Recommendations by Sara Jane Rhoads of colleagues and students
Also includes memos, agenda, tally sheet, and other committee papers
Typescript copy of PhD dissertation
Includes photographs of Sara Jane Rhoads and M. de Ateley
Reprints from chemistry journals, articles by Sara Jane Rhoads alone and in collaboration
Reprints from chemistry journals, articles by Sara Jane Rhoads alone and in collaboration
Addresses on the Occasion of the Inauguration of John Fey as President of the University of Wyoming, Foreword by Sara Jane Rhoads
Contains resume, press clippings, programs, newsletters, correspondence, etc. on the career of Sara Jane Rhoads
With Illustrations (photocopy)
Book in Danish, Hele Berden til Spillerum, book in English, Denmark Gets in the News of '76, both inscribed by Sara Rhoads; partial translation of Hele Verde til Spillerum
Journal clippings; notes
Newspaper and magazine clippings used to prepare speeches
Newspaper and magazine clippings; conference program; reports of the Committee on Education of Women, University of Wyoming, 1953
Series two is arranged chronologically rather than alphabetically.
Bachelor of Science from the University of Chicago; Doctor of Philosophy from Columbia University
Sigma Xi (includes Programs); Gamma Sigma Epsilon; Phi Kappa Phi; Manufacturing Chemists' Association; New York Academy of Sciences; No Fault Foundation; American Association of University Women; American Chemical Society
Blue Denim, the type worn by Chemistry professors at the University of Wyoming
Tweezers; microspatulas; scalpel; probes; in black vinyl case
Structural model of chemical element