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An Ocean of Purple Flowers

Edith Wang shares a story of herself and Millie enjoying the spring in LA.

Published onMay 15, 2018
An Ocean of Purple Flowers

Edith Wang
Reflections on the Life of Millie Dresselhaus

Edith and Kang Wang at MIT in the 1960's. Photo courtesy of Edith and Kang Wang

I wanted to share a brief memory about me and Millie, since I knew her so well and for so long.

I got my PhD in Chemistry at MIT in 1968.  Millie's MIT office was next to my husband’s (Kang’s), in those days, so I saw Millie very often and got to know her very well.  Kang and I eventually moved to LA, but that didn’t stop our association with Millie.  Not at all!

During the years when Millie was a Trustee at CalTech, she came to Los Angeles quite often.  At that time, she was also working together with Prof. Gang Chen and my husband, Prof. Kang Wang at UCLA for the MURI project of thermoelectrics and phonon engineering.  Sometimes when she arrived at LAX, I would go to the airport to pick her up and drove her to UCLA. During the rides we would talk and talk.

Millie and her daughter, in 1977, surrounded by flowers. Photo courtesy of the Dresselhaus Family

One time, she arrived in June and saw a lot of trees along the streets that were blooming with beautiful purple flowers.  She was fascinated and asked me about it. I told her it was called the Jacaranda tree. Every spring, I explained, the Jacaranda flooded all the streets of the Los Angeles with a sea of purple beauty.  Then, I recited to her some of the poems of Jacaranda that I had read in the Los Angeles Times. When I turned to look at Millie's face, I found she was no longer “Millie the famous scientist” or “Millie the powerful Institute professor”; she had transformed into just… Millie.  My good friend Millie, showing her soft, touching beauty in an artistic way.

From now on, every spring when the Jacaranda starts to bloom, I will see those oceans of purple flowers and remember the beautiful and artistic Millie who was one of my dearest friends.  And I will miss her so, so much.

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