Edith Flanigen, a chemist at Des Plaines-based Honeywell UOP, received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in a ceremony at the White House on Thursday.
President Obama recognized Flanigen for her contributions in science and technology. She was among eight recipients of the award.
Flanigen, 85, told Blue Sky that her career saw a few “glitches” in terms of discrimination but that she otherwise “was accepted as a scientist and did the work.”
Flanigen retired in 1994, but she remains a consultant with UOP. She said she also keeps busy with professional organizations such as the National Academy of Engineering. Flanigen said she encourages women and girls to pursue science careers, as hers has been “extremely satisfying.”
Flanigen became known as an expert in her field due in part to her work with zeolites, a class of crystals capable of purifying complex chemical mixtures. The zeolites enhance chemical reactions for oil refining, and her work also led to advancements in water purification.
Flanigen earned her bachelor’s degree from D’Youville College, in her native Buffalo, N.Y., and her master’s degree in inorganic-physical chemistry from Syracuse University. She was named to the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002 and was the first woman to win the Perkin Medal, one of the country’s highest honors for work in applied chemistry.