Patricia Mary Stewart

Patricia Mary (Alberding) Stewart is a native of Piqua, Ohio. After graduating from University High School in Los Angeles, California in 1941, she entered Montana School of Mines and spent one year there. From Montana, she traveled to Salt Lake City and completed her sophomore and junior years at the University of Utah. In 1947 she arrived in Ames and enrolled in Iowa State College as a geology major. One year later she became the first woman to earn a degree in geology from this institution. Patricia Stewart remained in Ames following her graduation from Iowa State. She and her husband, Robert (B.S. 1945 Ph.D. 1954 Retired Professor Emeritus), and two children (Martha, M.S. 1985 1990, and Scott, who also attended Iowa State) have been active supporters of the university throughout the years.

She writes: It is an extraordinary circumstance that because I happened to be the first woman to graduate with a major in geology from Iowa State College I now have the pleasure of being included in the Carrie Chapman Catt Brick Plaza. I sincerely thank the Geological and Atmospheric Sciences Department and Iowa State University for this recognition. I am pleased and grateful that I.S.U. is now honoring Carrie Chapman Catt with her name for a major building on the campus as well as acknowledging many women from all walks of life.

It is a pleasure to acknowledge Patricia Mary Stewart for her contributions to increasing the acceptance of women in what was at that time a field heavily dominated by men. We congratulate her on her accomplishments.

7/1/96

Paver Inscription:

"Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences

Geological science program
Patricia Mary Stewart
Karen S. Bartels

Atmospheric science program
Stephanie Wells
Shiyuan Zhong"