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{{short description|American chemist (1930-2008)}}
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'''Patsy O’Connell Sherman''' (September 15, 1930&ndash; February 11, 2008) was an American ] and co-inventor of ], a ] brand of products, a ] repellent and ].<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Patsy Sherman co-invented Scotchgard |url=http://www.startribune.com/obituaries/15596637.html?refer=y |quote=Patsy Sherman of Bloomington, a retired 3M chemist who co-invented Scotchgard when she was in her 20s, died Monday in Minneapolis. Sherman, who suffered a stroke in December, was 77. In 1953, Sherman and Samuel Smith focused on an accident in a 3M lab, after an experimental compound dripped on someone's canvas tennis shoes and couldn't be cleaned off. |newspaper=] |date= February 13, 2008 |accessdate=2012-10-13 }}</ref>
'''Patsy O’Connell Sherman''' (born ], ]) is an American ]. She was born in ]. Sherman is a 1952 alumnus of ] located in St. Peter, Minnesota. She became a Distinguished Alumni Citation Recipient for Scientific Research in 1975.<ref></ref>


==Early life==
She is the co-inventor along with ] of ] while an employee of the ] corporation in 1952. Sherman remained at 3M for several years improving on Scotchgard and developed other uses for the product.<ref name="jad"></ref> Scotchgard would become, arguably, the most famous and widely used stain repellent and soil removal product in north America.
Patsy O'Connell Sherman was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She grew up in an era where women were not permitted to higher levels of education, but despite this, her father encouraged her to pursue it. Her father was also very passionate about science his entire life, and that encouraged her even more. During this time, men were overseas fighting in the World War while women were expected to pick up the slack, giving them freedom and independence, which she heavily used. She attended Minneapolis North High School, where she did the men's aptitude test as the woman just told her housewife, and she wasn't happy with that. Shadowing her father, she chose to pursue a career in finance and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College as a chemistry and math major - she was the first ever to do so.  
==Career==


=== At 3M ===
3M announced on May 16, 2000 that they would be removing Scotchgard from the market. The company stated “low levels of chemicals (] and ]) present in humans and the environment did not pose a health risk.”<ref name="pr"></ref>
In 1952, Sherman started her career at ]. With ], Sherman co-invented ], which soon become one of the most famous and widely used stain repellent and soil removal products in North America. The invention of Scotchgard was sparked by an accident. Sherman and coworkers were initially assigned to develop a rubber that could be used for jet fuel hoses.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.invent.org/inductees/patsy-o-sherman|title=Patsy O. Sherman {{!}} The National Inventors Hall of Fame|website=www.invent.org|access-date=2018-12-18}}</ref> A sample of a ] was accidentally spilled on an assistant's shoe. After exhaustive attempts to remove the rubber failed, Sherman realized that the material could be used as a repellant for oil, water, and other solvents. Sherman and Smith received a patent in 1971 for the "invention of block and graft copolymers containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups."<ref>{{Cite patent|country=US|number=3574791|pubdate=1971-04-13|title=Block and graft copolymers containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups|assign1=]|inventor1-last=Sherman|inventor1-first=Patsy O.|inventor2-last=Smith|inventor2-first=Samuel}}</ref> Sherman holds 13 patents with Smith in fluorochemical polymers and polymerization processes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/kidevents_press.html|title=USPTO Kids|website=www.uspto.gov|access-date=2007-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070208095534/http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/kidevents_press.html|archive-date=2007-02-08|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Global investigation of PFOS results show blood of bald eagles in the Great Lakes region, to polar bears in Alaska contain small amounts of the cemical. There continues to be debate regarding the toxicity of the compound.<ref name=pr/>


In 1974, Sherman was the first woman to be named to the Carlton Society, 3M's Hall of Fame ("for her surface energy research leading to the development of the 3M™ Scotchgard™ Fabric Protectant, and for her research in fluorochemical polymerization and synthesis of polymers").<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/company-us/about-3m/research-development/carlton-society/|title=3M Carlton Society{{!}} 3M United States|website=www.3m.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-08-29}}</ref> Sherman remained at 3M for several years, improving and expanding the Scotchgard line of products.<ref name="JAD">{{cite web|url=http://www.jadcommunications.com/newsletters/jad_jul_2005.ht|title=Mothers of Invention of the Month|work=July 2005|publisher=JAD Communications International|accessdate=4 October 2010}} {{Dead link|date=November 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> She later became a laboratory manager and, in the mid-1980s, she developed the company's technical education department.<ref name=":0" />
An accidental spill of a flurochemical rubber on an assistant’s tennis shoe was the beginning to the invention of the product. After exhaustive attempts to remove the spill failed, Sherman moved her intention from removing the spill to using the spill as a protectant from spills. Sherman and Smith received {{Cite patent|US|3574791}} on April 13, 1971, for "invention of block and graft copolymers containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups."<ref name="USPTO"></ref> Sherman holds 13 patents with Smith in flurochemical polymers and polymerization processes.<ref name=USPTO/>


⚫ In October 2002, along with notable speakers such as ] (the inventor of the ]), Sherman spoke at the 200th anniversary celebration of the ]. She was one of 37 inventors who spoke on the process of invention. She said<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ideaflow.corante.com/archives/2002/11/12/invention_the_art_of_observation_curiosity_and_serendipity.php|title=Invention: TheArt of Observation, Curiosity and Serendipity|last=Callahan|first=Renee Hopkins|work=November 12, 2002|publisher=Corante|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708192138/http://ideaflow.corante.com/archives/2002/11/12/invention_the_art_of_observation_curiosity_and_serendipity.php|archive-date=8 July 2011|url-status=dead|accessdate=4 October 2010}}</ref>{{cquote|You can encourage and teach young people to observe, to ask questions when unexpected things happen. You can teach yourself not to ignore the unanticipated. Just think of all the great inventions that have come through serendipity, such as ]'s discovery of ], and just noticing something no one conceived of before.
Due to the success of the product Sherman was featured on ] in a call-in segment on WCCO radio's Boone and Erickson show to discuss Scotchgard in 1969. Sherman was recruited to appeal to the housewives in the radio audience.<ref name=pr/>
}}


=== Advocating for women in science ===
⚫ During development of the Scotchgard product in the 1950s, Sherman was required to wait for performance results outside of the ] during testing due to a rule at that time that women were not allowed in the mill.<ref name=jad/> At that time in American history, there were very few female chemists; Sherman was a rarity in the corporate environment.<ref></ref>
Sherman was an outspoken advocate for women in science. "Girls should follow their dreams," she said. "They can do anything anybody else can do. They have many more role models today -- not the least of whom might be their mothers."<ref name=":0" />


⚫ During development of the Scotchgard product in the 1950s, Sherman was required to wait for performance results outside of the ] during testing due to a rule at that time that banned women from the mill.<ref name="JAD" /> At that time, there were very few female chemists; Sherman was a rarity in the corporate environment.<ref> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070203110206/http://www.davinciinstitute.com/page.php?ID=108|date=2007-02-03}}</ref>
Sherman's 1947 high school aptitude test indicated she would be most suited to the role of a housewife. Sherman demanded to take the boy’s version of the aptitude test. The results reflected Sherman's interest in science and listed dentistry or chemistry as her potential career path.<ref name=jad/>
She has been a member of the ] for over 50 years.<ref></ref>


==Recognition==
Sherman was inducted into the ] in 2001<ref></ref> and has served on the board of directors.
*Inducted into the Minnesota Science & Technology Hall of Fame (2011).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msthalloffame.org/patsy_sherman.htm|title=Patsy O'Connell Sherman|website=www.msthalloffame.org}}</ref>
*Inducted into the ] (2001)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/160.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070706224623/http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/160.html|url-status=dead|title=Invent Now &#124; Hall of Fame &#124; Search &#124; Inventor Profile|archivedate=July 6, 2007|website=www.invent.org}}</ref> and served on the board of directors.
⚫ *Joseph M. Biedenbach Distinguished Service Award from the ] (1991).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asee.org/activities/awards/archive/division1.cfm|title=ASEE.org|website=asee.org}}</ref>
*Distinguished Alumni Citation Recipient for Scientific Research (1975).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gustavus.edu/alumni/alumni_assoc/awards.cfm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060905134411/http://www.gustavus.edu/alumni/alumni_assoc/awards.cfm|url-status=dead|title=Gustavus Adolphus College|archivedate=September 5, 2006|website=www.gustavus.edu}}</ref>
*First woman inducted into the Carlton Society, 3M's Hall of Fame<ref name=":1" />


==Personal life==
Sherman’s name is an answer to a question in the trivia ] “Eve’s Quest.”<ref> </ref>
Sherman retired from 3M in 1992, garnering further external recognition. Following a December 2007 stroke, she died February 11, 2008. Her husband Hubert Sherman had died in 1996, while her two surviving daughters were Shari Loushin (also a 3M chemist) and Wendy Heil, who owned Advanced Optics, Inc.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyheil1/ | title=Wendy Heil | website=LinhedIn}}</ref>

She was featured in a History Channel commercial for May 24th Great Inventions week in 200X.<ref></ref>

⚫ Sherman received the Joseph M. Biedenbach Distinguished Service Award in 1991 from the ].<ref></ref>

⚫ In October of 2002, along with notable speakers such as ] (the inventor of the ]), Sherman spoke at the ]s 200 birthday celebration. She was one of 37 inventors who spoke on the process of invention. She said “"you can encourage and teach young people to observe, to ask questions when unexpected things happen. You can teach yourself not to ignore the unanticipated. Just think of all the great inventions that have come through serendipity, such as ]'s discovery of ], and just noticing something no one conceived of before."<ref></ref>


==See also== ==See also==
* ] * ]


==Sources== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{reflist}}

==External links==
*

{{authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Patsy O.}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Sherman, Patsy O.}}
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Latest revision as of 19:29, 1 January 2025

American chemist (1930-2008)
Patsy Sherman (1930–2008)

Patsy O’Connell Sherman (September 15, 1930– February 11, 2008) was an American chemist and co-inventor of Scotchgard, a 3M brand of products, a stain repellent and durable water repellent.

Early life

Patsy O'Connell Sherman was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She grew up in an era where women were not permitted to higher levels of education, but despite this, her father encouraged her to pursue it. Her father was also very passionate about science his entire life, and that encouraged her even more. During this time, men were overseas fighting in the World War while women were expected to pick up the slack, giving them freedom and independence, which she heavily used. She attended Minneapolis North High School, where she did the men's aptitude test as the woman just told her housewife, and she wasn't happy with that. Shadowing her father, she chose to pursue a career in finance and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College as a chemistry and math major - she was the first ever to do so.  

Career

At 3M

In 1952, Sherman started her career at 3M. With Samuel Smith, Sherman co-invented Scotchgard, which soon become one of the most famous and widely used stain repellent and soil removal products in North America. The invention of Scotchgard was sparked by an accident. Sherman and coworkers were initially assigned to develop a rubber that could be used for jet fuel hoses. A sample of a fluorochemical rubber was accidentally spilled on an assistant's shoe. After exhaustive attempts to remove the rubber failed, Sherman realized that the material could be used as a repellant for oil, water, and other solvents. Sherman and Smith received a patent in 1971 for the "invention of block and graft copolymers containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups." Sherman holds 13 patents with Smith in fluorochemical polymers and polymerization processes.

In 1974, Sherman was the first woman to be named to the Carlton Society, 3M's Hall of Fame ("for her surface energy research leading to the development of the 3M™ Scotchgard™ Fabric Protectant, and for her research in fluorochemical polymerization and synthesis of polymers"). Sherman remained at 3M for several years, improving and expanding the Scotchgard line of products. She later became a laboratory manager and, in the mid-1980s, she developed the company's technical education department.

In October 2002, along with notable speakers such as Steve Wozniak (the inventor of the Apple computer), Sherman spoke at the 200th anniversary celebration of the United States Patent and Trademark Office. She was one of 37 inventors who spoke on the process of invention. She said

You can encourage and teach young people to observe, to ask questions when unexpected things happen. You can teach yourself not to ignore the unanticipated. Just think of all the great inventions that have come through serendipity, such as Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin, and just noticing something no one conceived of before.

Advocating for women in science

Sherman was an outspoken advocate for women in science. "Girls should follow their dreams," she said. "They can do anything anybody else can do. They have many more role models today -- not the least of whom might be their mothers."

During development of the Scotchgard product in the 1950s, Sherman was required to wait for performance results outside of the textile mill during testing due to a rule at that time that banned women from the mill. At that time, there were very few female chemists; Sherman was a rarity in the corporate environment.

Recognition

  • Inducted into the Minnesota Science & Technology Hall of Fame (2011).
  • Inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame (2001) and served on the board of directors.
  • Joseph M. Biedenbach Distinguished Service Award from the American Society for Engineering Education (1991).
  • Distinguished Alumni Citation Recipient for Scientific Research (1975).
  • First woman inducted into the Carlton Society, 3M's Hall of Fame

Personal life

Sherman retired from 3M in 1992, garnering further external recognition. Following a December 2007 stroke, she died February 11, 2008. Her husband Hubert Sherman had died in 1996, while her two surviving daughters were Shari Loushin (also a 3M chemist) and Wendy Heil, who owned Advanced Optics, Inc.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Patsy Sherman co-invented Scotchgard". StarTribune. February 13, 2008. Retrieved 2012-10-13. Patsy Sherman of Bloomington, a retired 3M chemist who co-invented Scotchgard when she was in her 20s, died Monday in Minneapolis. Sherman, who suffered a stroke in December, was 77. In 1953, Sherman and Samuel Smith focused on an accident in a 3M lab, after an experimental compound dripped on someone's canvas tennis shoes and couldn't be cleaned off.
  2. "Patsy O. Sherman | The National Inventors Hall of Fame". www.invent.org. Retrieved 2018-12-18.
  3. US 3574791, Sherman, Patsy O. & Smith, Samuel, "Block and graft copolymers containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups", published 1971-04-13, assigned to Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. 
  4. "USPTO Kids". www.uspto.gov. Archived from the original on 2007-02-08. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
  5. ^ "3M Carlton Society| 3M United States". www.3m.com. Retrieved 2018-08-29.
  6. ^ "Mothers of Invention of the Month". July 2005. JAD Communications International. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  7. Callahan, Renee Hopkins. "Invention: TheArt of Observation, Curiosity and Serendipity". November 12, 2002. Corante. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2010.
  8. Da Vinci Institute Archived 2007-02-03 at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Patsy O'Connell Sherman". www.msthalloffame.org.
  10. "Invent Now | Hall of Fame | Search | Inventor Profile". www.invent.org. Archived from the original on July 6, 2007.
  11. "ASEE.org". asee.org.
  12. "Gustavus Adolphus College". www.gustavus.edu. Archived from the original on September 5, 2006.
  13. "Wendy Heil". LinhedIn.

External links

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