Yvonne Madelaine Brill
Personal Information
Born: 1924
Died: 2013
Country of Birth: Canada
Nationality: Canada; USA
Ethnicity: White
Education
1945, BA Chemistry & Mathematics, University of Manitoba; 1951, MA Chemistry, University of Southern California
Professional Life
Field of Study: Aerospace Engineering; Rocket Science
Institution/Corporation: Douglas Aircraft; RCA; Astro Electronics; NASA; International Maritime Satellite Org
Degrees & Memberships: Member: Fellow National Academy of Engineers (NAE); Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers (IEEE); Fellow Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2002, AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award; 2009, John Fritz Award; 2010, National Inventors Hall of Fame; 2010, National Medal of Technology; 2010, National Medal of Technology & Innovation; 2001, NASA Distinguished Public Service Award; 1980, Harper s Bazaar & DeBeers Corporation Diamond Superwoman Award; 1986, SWE Achievement Award; 2013, Yvonne C. Brill Lectureship of AIAA established in her honor; 1999, Women in Technology International Hall of Fame; 2009, New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame; 2002, IEEE Judith A. Resnik Award; 1993, SWE Resnik Challenger Medal; 1970, Astro-Electronics Engineering Excellence Award, RCA; 2020, Faculty of Science Memorial Award Recipient for Applications that Changed the World, University of Manitoba
Achievements: rocket propulsion systems for communication satellites; only female rocket scientist in 1940 s; improvements to rocket fuel systems; worked on 1st weather satellit (TIROS) and NOVA
Worked on the 1st weather satellite Tiros' propulsion system & on Nova-a series of rockets that were part of Apollo Moon Missions
1st African-American female to earn an MA in Engineering Management from Vanderbilt University (1972)
Invented Electrothermal Hydrazine Thruster (EHT/Resistojet) a fuel efficient rocket thruster that keeps today's satellites in orbit & holds the patent for it
Was inspired to attend school by Amelia Earhart
1st in her family to attend college
Numerous corporation (including RCA, GE, Lockheed Martin, & Orbital Sciences) have used EHT in their communication satellites
The NY Times obituary on her was controversial & deemed sexist because it originally began "She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job, & took 8 years off from work to raise 3 children"