Evelyn Joyce Weber

Honored by the Biochemistry and Biophysics Department

Evelyn Weber graduated from our department and has been a real friend to the department.

7/1/96

Paver Inscription:

"Mary C. French
Catherine Lee
Louisa Tabatabai
Carol Warner
Evelyn Weber"

Honored by Marlowe D. Thorne, Richard H. Hageman and Robert W. Rinne

Evelyn Joyce Weber was the first woman to hold a faculty position in the Agronomy Department at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and throughout most of her career she was the only woman in the departmental faculty of 65 members.

Dr. Weber had dual appointments as a research chemist in the Agricultural Research Service, USDA and as a faculty member of the Agronomy Department of the University of Illinois. She functioned as an important member of the group, conducting research on lipids in corn and other crops. Her research provided an important added dimension to the long-time program on high oil corn.

Education and Professional Positions Held
-1946-52 Student, University of Illinois C-U, BS Chemistry
-1952-56 Research Ass't, U. of ILL C-U, Plant lipid research
-1956-61 Graduate Student, Iowa State Univ., Ph.D. Biochemistry
-1961-64 Research Associate, Biochemistry, U. of ILL, Plant lipid research
-1965-87 Research Chemist, ARS USDA, and Assistant Professor, Associate Professor and Professor, Agronomy Department, U. of ILL.
-1987- Professor Emerita, Agronomy Department, U. of ILL, Freelance editor and biochemical consultant, Farm manager

Honors
BS degree in chemistry with highest honors; Pre-doctoral Public Health Fellow; Elected member of Alpha Lambda Delta; Iota Sigma Pi (President ISU chapter 1960-61; President UI chapter 1962-63); Sigma Pi; Sigma Xi; Sigma Delta Epsilon; Phi Kappa Phi; Gamma Sigma Delta Fellow American Institute of Chemists

Research
Dr. Weber's training provided an ideal background for her career studies on isolation and characterization of corn lipids. Her early studies involved the isolation and characterization of: (a) an antifungal agent (BS thesis): (b) a pituitary hormone (Ph.D. thesis); and (c) phosphatidyl inositol and phytoglycolipids from plants (postdoctoral research).

Her career research initially determined the rate and time of lipid synthesis during the development of the corn kernel. She established for the first time that the distribution of the fatty acid in the triglycerides was nonrandom and under genetic control.

Other Contributions
Dr. Weber has made significant financial contributions to Iowa State University and the University of Illinois.

Her contributions enabled the Iowa State University Library to purchase books to build a core collection about early women in science. In 1994, her contribution allowed the purchase of the two millionth volume for the ISU library, a rare two-volume treatise on mathematical concepts written by Maria Gaetana Agnesi in 1748. She is listed as a member of the President's Council of contributors to the University of Illinois. Dr. Weber was presented a Certificate of Recognition for 17 years of service as judge at Illinois Junior Academy of Science State Contest, Biochemistry Division. Her colleagues have always known her as one who is willing to devote time and effort to assist a colleague, staff member or a student with any problem in her field of expertise.

Vital Statistics
Evelyn Joyce Weber was born November 9, 1928, in Tower Hill, Illinois, and grew up on a farm in Shelby County. She completed grade school in a one-room country school and graduated from High School in Pana, Illinois. She continues to manage the family farm.

7/1/96