Joyce Myron photographed in front of the California atomic-electric power plant being built by Pacific Gas & Electric Company and General Electric. With her are some of the men who operate the plant and the G-E Vallecitos Atomic Laboratory, site of the plant.
Full page ad sponsored by America's Independent Electric Light and Power Companies. November 18th, 1957
LIFE
LIFE
The girl, the men, and the atom
One of the happiest girls in the world is Joyce Myron, 18-year-old college student of Drexel Institute of Technology. She is known across America for her triumphs on TV's "$64,000 Question," where she brilliantly answered questions about the new science of atomic energy. And she has interested millions in the exciting promise of the peaceful atom. This picture shows Joyce at the scene of one of her TV appearances, an atomic-electric power plant near San Francisco—the first completed among several now being planned and built by electric companies and equipment manufacturers. With Joyce are engineers and scientists who run the plant and the nearby atomic laboratory. Most are only a few years older than Joyce—members of the new generation that is unlocking door after door to reveal the secrets of atomic energy and harness them to useful purposes. We salute Joyce Myron and the other young atomic scientists and engineers. Theirs is the privilege of putting the atom to work—for power, for healing, and for other and still unknown services to mankind.
America's Independent Electric Light and Power Companies
I wonder what happened to her.
Check out CONELRAD .
I am Joyce Myron (that was my maiden name). What a surprise to find out that someone remembers my ancient history. In answer to your question, I am now 70 years old, have been married for 47 years, am the the mother of two and grandmother of four. Shortly after that magazine photo was taken, I became a student in Cornell's Engineering Physics Department and worked as a grunt in Hans Bethe's lab. Eventually I graduated in 1961 from New York University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. As a side note, I was the first female engineering grad of NYU, since they didn't a accept women until 1959, the year in which I transferred from Cornell.
ReplyDeleteI worked for several years in the power generating industry with fossil fuel station design. After a fifteen year hiatus to raise my family, I returned to engineering in the defense arena, where I worked for another 25 years in armaments and electro-optics.After acquiring an MBA, I gravitated to the management side. I am now retired and living the good life in Southern California.
Joyce:
ReplyDeleteWhat a pleasant surprise to hear from you...a celebrity visits "Philosophy of Science Portal". A double celebrity: A woman of science and a contestant on the $64,000 Question quiz show. How humorous..."...worked as a grunt in Hans Bethe's lab." But you did get to meet Rudi. Being a woman in the realm of science must have been an uphill climb--now things have changed. I must ask how much did you receive from the quiz show? Thanks again for responding.
"Rudi Peieris...physicist's physicist"
http://philosophyofscienceportal.blogspot.com/2008/04/rudi-peierisphysicists-physicist.html
I won the $64,000.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful find! The smartest women rarely seem to have children anymore, and the conflict with nature often leaves an empty spot in their lives - whatever their wealth and career accomplishments when they are older. It is affirming to see a life so well-lived in spite of society's pressures and imperfections. Thanks for sharing this online!
ReplyDeleteJoyce:
ReplyDeleteI received an email from someone who claims to be a cousin of yours and wishes for you to contact him I won't publish but if you wish his email just reply to this post and I will email it to you. The person's name is Brian.
Joyce, I don't know if this blog is still going, but I just googled you and this showed up. Do you realize it is the 50th anniversary of our graduation from NYU. I pestered the president, and he sent me an invitation to invite all of my classmates to the reunion on September 24th of this year. Perhaps you remember me, or some of our classmates. (I'm Irwin Price, in case you have the yearbook.) I have already contacted Jack Klein and Elias Hadjoglou, who you may remember from our group. You can reach me at irwin.price@gmail.com, if you want to catch up after all these years.
ReplyDelete