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Millie Dresselhaus Anecdotes: Interactions that I did not Understand at the Time!

Mona Zebarjadi shares some anecdotes about interactions with Millie that she did not understand, at the time, but which are now deeply meaningful.

Published onMar 20, 2018
Millie Dresselhaus Anecdotes: Interactions that I did not Understand at the Time!

Mona Zebarjadi
Assistant Professor, ECE and MSE Departments, University of Virginia

In fall 2007, I participated in an MRS graduate student competition. We had to defend our research work in front of three judges. One of the them was Millie Dresselhaus. Two years later, I joined Prof. Chen’s group as a postdoc and went to introduce myself to her. “I know you”, she said annoyed by my unnecessary introduction. Later on, I heard from others about Millie’s great memory and how she remembers every person shaking her hand at a conference. (Although, at that competition, I was so nervous that I did not shake her hand!!)

I got to know her and eventually she agreed to serve as my co-supervisor. Ever since, she has helped me through my career as a postdoc, a job applicant, an assistant Prof. at Rutgers and finally an assistant Prof. at UVA.


I remember many discussions with Millie in which she would mention names of other researchers. A discussion on electronic cloaking or modulation doping would continue with a story about how Millie met another colleague and how their lives had changed over the years and, finally, how that colleague could have helped in this discussion. She would say: “He knows something about it.”

I have to say I did not understand any of it at the time. I was too focused on my work! My interpretation was that Millie was tired of the discussion and perhaps enjoyed remembering a friend and that it was time for me to leave. When I was looking for a job, sometimes Millie would ask me to print her out a list of the names of all the faculty members of the department I was applying to. She would then go over the list and would tell me: “if you go there, introduce yourself to x, y, z and tell them that you worked with me.” Well, I never did that, either!

Once, I wanted to start a collaboration with X. I sent X an email introducing myself and requesting an appointment. A month passed, and I did not receive a response. Millie knew about my intention and, one morning, she asked me if I had contacted X.

“Yes, but no response yet,” I said.

“I am sure he will respond to you very soon!” she said, not very pleased.

I smiled and left for my office. One hour later, I received an email from X: “I am sorry for my late response, but I was busy with…. When would you like to meet?”


Gene, me and Millie, Aug 2012. I was a joint postdoc in Millie’s group from Jan 2010 to Aug 2012

A few days after Millie passed away, I was working at a coffee shop, trying to solve a set of problems on a piece of paper. I noticed my struggle in writing and realized that it was mostly because I did not like my handwriting. I looked at my cheap old pen and remembered one afternoon back in 2011. That afternoon, I went to Millie’s office to ask her to clarify some of the comments that she had written on my paper. After a lengthy discussion, she took my paper and said, “Let me write a note for you.” Then she started looking for a pen with which to write. I offered my pen to her. She looked at my pen, then at me, and she said: “ I am not going to write with that!”

I remembered her beautiful handwriting, her extreme effort in writing everything in the best possible manner, even when she did so on a seemingly unimportant piece of paper.


Millie was so down-to-earth and approachable that it was hard for me, as a student, realize how significant she was internationally. She kept it that way, and welcomed people into her office and her life. She responded to every request, even from students with very poor science background who requested they be accepted at MIT.

I learned a lot about Millie by hearing others talking about her. She was a great inspiration for everyone and I hope her legacy lasts for centuries.

Photo courtesy of Marianne Dresselhaus Cooper
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