Jeanette Grasselli Brown

Jeanette Grasselli Brown (August 4, 1928 – July 15, 2025) was an American analytical chemist and spectroscopist who is known for her work with Standard Oil of Ohio (now BP America) as an industrial researcher in the field of spectroscopy.

Spectroscopy is a technique used to measure the interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter. Her areas of expertise encompass fields such as vibrational spectroscopy, combined instrumental techniques, computerized spectroscopy, and environmental spectroscopy. Around 1946, her father opened a business in Elyria, Ohio, making sand cast aluminum parts. The foundry eventually failed and the family went bankrupt. Her brother Robert died from Hodgkin's lymphoma. While she was in college, her parents divorced.

Education Grasselli Brown attended Harvey Rice Elementary School, Alexander Hamilton Junior High and John Adams High School in Cleveland, Ohio. At John Adams, she was in a college track program and planned to major in English in college. However, when she took her first chemistry class, she fell in love with the subject.

Grasselli Brown graduated from John Adams High School in 1946, She was the only female chemist in her class and received her Bachelor of Science summa cum laude in 1950. In 1958, she received her Master of Science in chemistry from Case Western Reserve University.

Grasselli Brown has received thirteen honorary degrees from various institutions including Ohio University (1978), Clarkson University (1986), Michigan Technology University (1989), Wilson College (1994), Case Western Reserve University (1995), Notre Dame College (1995), Kenyon College (1995), Mount Union College (1996), Cleveland State University (2000), Kent State University (2000), Ursuline College (2001), Youngstown State University (2003), and University Pecs, Hungary (2002).

Career

Standard Oil (BP America) After graduating from Ohio University in 1950, Grasselli Brown was offered a job position at Standard Oil (now BP America) in Cleveland as a project leader. From 1950 to 1978, she worked closely with an instrument called an infrared spectrometer. This device is used to measure the absorbance, emission, and reflection of infrared light interacting with a molecule and also measures the vibrations of atoms to identify functional groups.

During her time at Standard Oil, Grasselli Brown used the infrared spectrometer to examine the concentration of materials, and sought to find industrial applications for it.

She served on numerous committees and boards such as the National Science Foundation Advisory Committee for Analytic Chemistry (1982–1984), the Energy Research Advisory Board of the U.S. Department of Energy (1987–1989), the visiting committee of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (1988–1991), and the Smithsonian Institution's exhibition advisory board (1990–1994). She chaired the U.S. National Committee of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry from 1992 to 1995.

Legacy and honors Grasselli Brown has over ninety publications, nine books, and a patent in the field of infrared and Raman spectroscopy.

In 1985, she was selected as one of the Foremost Women of the 20th Century.

In 2022, a permanent exhibit at the Great Lakes Science Center, entitled "Interactive Periodic Table of Element", was created through a donation by the Northeastern Ohio Science & Engineering Fair, in honor of Dr. Jeanette Grasselli Brown and her husband Dr. Glenn Brown.

Publications

CRC atlas of spectral data and physical constants for organic compounds, Volume 3 (1975) Infrared and Raman Spectroscopy, Part 1 (1976) Chemical applications of Raman spectroscopy (1981) The Analytical approach (1983) 1985 International Conference on Fourier and Computerized Infrared Spectroscopy (1985) Handbook of data on organic compounds, Volume 11 (1992)

Awards Distinguished Service Award of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy (1985) Founder's Citation Award from Ohio University (2003–2004) Alumni Association's Medal of Merit from Ohio University Alumna of the Year Award from Ohio University John C. Baker Founders Award from Ohio University Pittcon Heritage Award (2025)