2009 Valerie Woodward

Valerie Woodward is a Senior Research Chemist and Group Leader for microscopy and microanalysis at the Lubrizol Corporation in Cleveland, Ohio.

She received a bachelor’s degree in biology from West Virginia University in 1976 and a second bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Akron in 1980. In addition, she completed three years graduate education in polymer science at the University of Akron.

Valerie began her career in microscopy and microanalysis in 1976 at the Ohio Brass Company (now Hubbell Corporation). In 1984 she joined the central analytical facility for the BFGoodrich Company in Akron, Ohio, picking up optical microscopy to complement SEM/EDS. As BFGoodrich left the rubber business, its polymers and chemicals division evolved into Noveon, and was eventually purchased by Lubrizol in 2004, Valerie added cryoSEM, wide angle X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, X-ray fluorescence, and some X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to her repertoire. She is currently investigating the applicability of laser scanning confocal microscopy in the characterization of Lubrizol materials.

Valerie has been a member of the Microbeam Analysis Society (MAS) since 1989. In 1995, she became a Trustee of the Microscopy Society of Northeastern Ohio (MSNO) and shortly thereafter, MSNO affiliated as an affiliated regional society (AReS) of MAS. Valerie served on the Executive Board of MSNO from 1995 through 2006 as Trustee, Secretary and President. In 1998 she was appointed the MAS Topical Conference Coordinator; in 1999 she was elected as a Director for the 2000–2002 term; and in 2003 she was elected Secretary, where she served two full terms from 2004 to 2007. She also served as a Tour Speaker in 2001, and was an invited speaker in an MAS-sponsored session on practical problem solving using microscopy and microanalysis at M&M 2008 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.