Prof. Mary K. Gaillard: Singularly Unfeminine Profession

Last Thursday, 14th of March, professor Mary K. Gaillard, from Berkeley University, California, visited our faculty to give a conference entitled "Singularly Unfeminine Profession", the title of her first published book. We had the chance to speak to her and ask her a few questions. 

Prof. Mary K. is an American theoretical physicist specialized in Particle Physics. She is a professor of Graduate School at the University of California, Berkeley. She was Berkeley's first tenured female physicist. Some of her most important contributions are the prediction of the mass of the charm quark prior to its discovery, the prediction of 3-jet events or the prediction of b-quark mass.

But let's learn more about her.

Prof. Mary K. Gaillard visited CERN to present her
 recently published autobiography and to
give the seminar "Supergravity at one loop, anomalies and applications
to string phenomenology".
Photograph: Bennett, Sophia Elizabeth 
Date: 20-05-2016

Good morning, it's a big pleasure to be here in front of you, thank you very much for your attention. The first question we want to make to you is: Who is Prof. Mary K. Gaillard?

Well, I'm not sure what you want to know. I guess I'm a particle physicist, I have three kids and I suppose I'm a positive person. I had a nice career despite of the difficult beginning. I have seven grandkids and one of them is studying Physics, not one of my kids but my granddaughter, so that's nice.

Another thing we'd like to know is what your labour at the Berkeley University was. Which subjects did you teach?

Well, when I first got there I taught graduate mechanics, but then after that I mostly taught particle Physics or special topics,and then, couple of years before the retire, I taught some undergraduate particle Physics and special relativity. But most of my time I taught graduate particles Physics, I also preffer graduate people.

Prof. Mary K. during the conference at the Library meeting room.  
IFIC (CSIC-UV)

We know that you've worked in many different projects, but if you had to choose the one that you enjoyed the most, which one would you choose?

The prediction of the mass of the charm quark. It was the most exciting one.

What can you tell us about your participation in the American Philosophical Society?

It was founded by Benjamin Franklin and it covers science, humanities and arts. So they are really interesting people with very interesting meetings.

In order to finish with this brief interview, what would you say to a young Physics student?

I would say if you really want to study Physics don't pay attention to the people who distturb you and tell you that you cannot do it.

Thank you very much Prof. Mary K. It's been a great honour to listen to you because of all that you represent as a woman, as a scientist and as a physicist.

The conference was a big success.   
IFIC (CSIC-UV)