Mary Anne White 
Harry Shirreff Professor of Chemical Research (Emerita) | Dalhousie University
Halifax, NS, CANADA
Science Expert, with Specialty in Chemistry of Materials
Biography
Mary Anne White is Harry Shirreff Professor of Chemical Research (Emerita) at Dalhousie University, Halifax. She is a specialist in the research area of energetics and thermal properties of materials. Mary Anne is an author of more than 180 research papers and also a textbook, “Physical Properties of Materials,” now in its second edition. She also is Editor for Materials Science for the McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. Mary Anne has been active throughout her career in bringing science to the general public: helping establish the hands-on Discovery Centre in Halifax; many presentations for schools, the general public and others (including a lecture for Members of Canada’s Parliament and Senate in the Bacon & Egghead series); booklets on science activities for children; more than 150 articles for educators or the general public; appearances on television; 14 years as a regular contributor on CBC Radio’s “Maritime Noon” fielding listeners’ science questions live on air. Mary Anne was awarded the 2007 McNeil Medal of the Royal Society of Canada, and a Doctor of Science (honoris causa) from both McMaster University and from UWO. She is also the recipient of the Noranda Award for contributions to physical chemistry and the Union Carbide Award for Chemical Education. In 2012, she received an American Chemical Society Award for Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemical Education. In 2013, she was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and in 2016 she was installed as an Officer of the Order of Canada.
Industry Expertise (2)
Chemicals
Cleantech
Areas of Expertise (5)
Materials Science
Energy Storage
Thermoelectrics
Chemistry (General)
Ice
Accomplishments (6)
Officer of the Order of Canada (professional)
for her contributions to chemistry, which have advanced our understanding of the thermal properties of materials, and for her leadership in science outreach initiatives
Fellowship in the Royal Society of Canada (professional)
Mary Anne White is a world leader in experimental investigations of thermal properties of materials, at the overlap of chemistry, physics and materials science. Her contributions to the basic understanding of thermal conduction in solids and phase stability in complex systems have advanced science and led to new directions in applications such as more efficient thermoelectric materials and thermally erasable paper.
Doctor of Science (honoris causa) (professional)
from the University of Western Ontario
Doctor of Science (honoris causa) (professional)
from McMaster University
McNeil Medal of the Royal Society of Canada (professional)
for Public Awareness of Science
American Chemical Society Award for Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemical Education (professional)
American Chemical Society Award for Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemical Education
Education (2)
McMaster University: PhD, Chemistry 1979
UWO: BSc, Chemistry 1975
Links (1)
Media Appearances (6)
Motörhead's Lemmy and the chemistry in naming new elements
CBC Radio - Day 6 radio
2016-01-09
Interview concerning the names of the newest elements, and singing of Tom Lehrer's "The Elements".
What is the coldest temperature to use road salt?
95.7 News Talk Radio radio
2015-02-18
What is the coldest temperature to use road salt? Why can it not be used at lower temperatures?
Science and Snow and Ice
Global TV Morning News tv
2014-12-12
Why do snow flakes have 6 points?
What is materials science?
CBC Radio - The Sunday Editon radio
2013-10-20
What is the subject of materials science, and why is it important?
What is the science behind making good pie pastry?
CBC Radio - Quirks and Quarks radio
2013-06-15
What ingredients and processes make good pie pastry and why?
Event Appearances (4)
Chemistry Cafe
Chemistry Cafe Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site
2016-09-28
Mixing and Unmixing
SuperNova Science Camp Halifax
2015-08-19
What's New About the Elements?
Royal Society of Canada public lecture Halifax
2015-06-22
What's hot about cold?
public outreach Ontario Science Centre
2009-02-13
Patents (2)
Thermal Energy Storage Apparatus
July15, 2016
2017-02-27
Apparatus for solar thermal energy storage ("thermal battery").
Predation detection fish tracking tag
9,526,28 B2
2016-12-16
Tag for tracking of fish that goes offline when that fish has been eaten.
Articles (1)
Physical Properties of Materials
CRC Press2012-07-18
textbook on physical properties of materials, used worldwide
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