Patsy Sherman
Encyclopedia
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
.
Early life
Sherman's 1947 high school aptitude test indicated she would be most suited to the role of a housewife. Sherman demanded to take the boy’s version of the aptitude test. The results reflected Sherman's interest in science and listed dentistry or chemistry as her potential career path.Career
Sherman was a 1952 alumnus of Gustavus Adolphus CollegeGustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
located in St. Peter, Minnesota.
She was the co-inventor along with Samuel Smith
Samuel Smith (chemist)
Samuel Smith is a United States chemist who co-invented Scotchgard with Patsy Sherman while an employee at the 3M company in 1952. He was born in New York City and received his B.S. from the City College of New York and his M.S. from the University of Michigan in 1949. He is the holder of 30 U.S...
of Scotchgard
Scotchgard
Scotchgard is a 3M brand of products used to protect fabric, furniture, and carpets from stains.The original formula for Scotchgard was discovered accidentally in 1952 by 3M chemists Patsy Sherman and Samuel Smith...
while an employee of the 3M
3M
3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
corporation in 1952. Sherman remained at 3M for several years improving on Scotchgard and developed other uses for the product. Scotchgard would become, arguably, the most famous and widely used stain repellent and soil removal product in North America.
An accidental spill of a fluorochemical rubber on an assistant’s tennis shoe was the beginning to the invention of the product. After exhaustive attempts to remove the spill failed, Sherman moved her intention from removing the spill to using the spill as a protectant from spills. Sherman and Smith received on April 13, 1971, for "invention of block and graft copolymers containing water-solvatable polar groups and fluoroaliphatic groups." Sherman holds 13 patents with Smith in flurochemical polymers and polymerization processes.
Due to the success of the product Sherman was featured on Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
in a call-in segment on WCCO radio's Boone and Erickson show to discuss Scotchgard in 1969. Sherman was recruited to appeal to the housewives in the radio audience.
During development of the Scotchgard product in the 1950s, Sherman was required to wait for performance results outside of the textile mill during testing due to a rule at that time that women were not allowed in the mill. At that time in American history, there were very few female chemists; Sherman was a rarity in the corporate environment.
She has been a member of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
for over 50 years.
In October 2002, along with notable speakers such as Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak
Stephen Gary "Woz" Wozniak is an American computer engineer and programmer who founded Apple Computer, Co. with Steve Jobs and Ronald Wayne...
(the inventor of the Apple computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
), Sherman spoke at the United States Patent and Trademark Office
United States Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that issues patents to inventors and businesses for their inventions, and trademark registration for product and intellectual property identification.The USPTO is based in Alexandria, Virginia,...
s 200 birthday celebration. She was one of 37 inventors who spoke on the process of invention. She said
Recognition
- Sherman was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of FameNational Inventors Hall of FameThe National Inventors Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recognizing, honoring and encouraging invention and creativity through the administration of its programs. The Hall of Fame honors the men and women responsible for the great technological advances that make human,...
in 2001 and has served on the board of directors. - Sherman received the Joseph M. Biedenbach Distinguished Service Award in 1991 from the American Society for Engineering EducationAmerican Society for Engineering EducationThe American Society for Engineering Education is a non-profit member association, founded in 1893, dedicated to promoting and improving engineering and engineering technology education....
. - She became a Distinguished Alumni Citation Recipient for Scientific Research in 1975.
- She was featured in a History Channel commercial for May 24 Great Inventions week in 200X.