Carbon Queen: The Remarkable Life of Nanoscience Pioneer Mildred Dresselhaus—Mia Weinstock (Cambridge, MA, USA: MIT Press, 2023, 320 pp.)

Abstract

As young technologists, we often start our careers searching for mentors or role models who can guide us as we navigate our career choices. As mentees, we often do not have insights into our mentors’ background and history—and thus may not appreciate the source of the wisdom they impart. The importance of mentorship is just one of many lessons learned from the life and career of Mildred “Millie” Dresselhaus described in Carbon Queen by Mia Weinstock. The book is a very readable account of an amazing individual whose life and career can be an inspiration to many aspiring scientists and engineers—particularly women. The book mixes the human side of Millie’s story and manages to weave in a few understandable technical principles that help the reader understand her contributions to the scientific community.