[meteorite-list] University NP, Toshijo Mayeda dies at 81

From: MARK BOSTICK <thebigcollector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:32:50 2004
Message-ID: <BAY4-DAV99YdPoyEYPC00018881_at_hotmail.com>

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Paper: The University of Chicago Chronicle
City: Chicago, Il.
Date: Thursday March 4, 2004
Issue number: Vol. 23. No. 11

Mayeda, expert in isotopic measurements, dies at 81 =20
Toshiko K. Mayeda, who conducted research on climate, meteorites and luna=
r rocks in a research career that spanned more than 50 years, died Friday=
, Feb. 13, at the University=E2=80=99s Bernard Mitchell Hospital followin=
g a bout with cancer. She was 81.
Mayeda, a Senior Research Associate in the Enrico Fermi Institute, receiv=
ed her B.S. in Chemistry from the University in 1950. She then became a l=
aboratory technician for Nobel laureate Harold Urey. One of her first pap=
ers, co-written with Sam Epstein, a research associate in Urey=E2=80=99s =
laboratory, remains an influential work today.
"This was the beginning of the use of stable isotope measurements of rain=
 and snow in climate studies, especially important today for global warmi=
ng studies," said Robert Clayton, the Enrico Fermi Distinguished Service =
Professor in Chemistry and Geophysical Sciences and the College. Isotopes=
, which are varieties of a common element that differ only in their atomi=
c weight and mass, can be used to reconstruct a variety of physical pheno=
mena, including the temperatures at which the rocks containing them were =
formed.
Another important paper, co-authored with Urey in 1959, became a seminal =
study in the constituents of primitive meteorites, which are the most pri=
stine materials left over from the formation of the solar system.
A third paper, which Mayeda co-authored with another Urey associate, Cesa=
re Emiliani, in 1961, helped establish firm dates for the ice age using i=
sotopic measurements. And in 1983, she co-authored a paper with Clayton t=
hat established the relationship between various types of Martian meteori=
tes.
Since 1958, Mayeda had worked with Clayton full time until she became ill=
 in early January. Her services were much in demand from scientists aroun=
d the world who needed oxygen isotopic measurements in order to properly =
classify their meteorite specimens. "She=E2=80=99s been the one who did a=
ll the work," Clayton said.
Mayeda=E2=80=99s daughter, Sibyl Yau, Clinical Director of the Gastrointe=
stinal Procedure Unit at the University Hospitals, said her mother=E2=80=99=
s passions were her scientific work and her long-time collaboration with =
Clayton. "Very far down in the deepest part of her, that=E2=80=99s who sh=
e was," Yau said.
Mayeda was the recipient of the Society Merit Prize from the Geochemical =
Society of Japan in 2002. That year, an asteroid also was named in her ho=
nor. =20
She mentored many Chicago graduate students who went on to start their ow=
n laboratories in the United States and abroad. Many of them came to know=
 her as "mom."
Mayeda loved to travel with her husband, daughter and son-in-law, Yau sai=
d. She had visited nearly every state in the country, took annual trips t=
o Florida and often returned to Japan.
Born to Matsusaburo and Haruko (Okada) Kuki in Tacoma, Wash., on Feb. 7, =
1923, Mayeda spent most of her childhood in Japan, living first in Yokkai=
chi, where her mother died, and then in Osaka. She returned to Tacoma aft=
er graduating from high school. She and her father were sent to the Tule =
Lake Internment Camp in California after the United States entered World =
War II.
The residents of the camp lived in corrugated tin barracks with tarpaper =
floors, but they brightened their lives by organizing dances and practici=
ng ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging. "They tried to have a q=
uasi-normal life," Yau said.
At Tule Lake, Mayeda met her husband, Harry, whom she married on Feb. 10,=
 1952. Harry Mayeda died last year. =20
Mayeda is survived by her daughter, Sibyl Yau of Skokie, Ill.; her son-in=
-law, Jack Yau; three sisters-in-law, Yoko Kuki, Pearl Zarilla and Helen =
Saiki; and many nieces and nephews. =20


Please visit, www.MeteoriteArticles.com, a free on-line archive of meteor=
 and meteorite articles.

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<HTML><BODY STYLE=3D"font:10pt verdana; border:none;"><DIV><FONT size=3D2=
> <P>Paper: The University of Chicago Chronicle</P> <P>City: Chicago, Il.=
</P> <P>Date: Thursday March 4, 2004</P> <P>Issue number: Vol. 23. No. 11=
</P> <P>&nbsp;</P></FONT><B><FONT face=3D"Times New Roman" size=3D2> <P>M=
ayeda, expert in isotopic measurements, dies at 81 </P></B> <P>Toshiko K.=
 Mayeda, who conducted research on climate, meteorites and lunar rocks in=
 a research career that spanned more than 50 years, died Friday, Feb. 13,=
 at the University=E2=80=99s Bernard Mitchell Hospital following a bout w=
ith cancer. She was 81.</P> <P>Mayeda, a Senior Research Associate in the=
 Enrico Fermi Institute, received her B.S. in Chemistry from the Universi=
ty in 1950. She then became a laboratory technician for Nobel laureate Ha=
rold Urey. One of her first papers, co-written with Sam Epstein, a resear=
ch associate in Urey=E2=80=99s laboratory, remains an influential work to=
day.</P> <P>"This was the beginning of the use of stable isotope measurem=
ents of rain and snow in climate studies, especially important today for =
global warming studies," said Robert Clayton, the Enrico Fermi Distinguis=
hed Service Professor in Chemistry and Geophysical Sciences and the Colle=
ge. Isotopes, which are varieties of a common element that differ only in=
 their atomic weight and mass, can be used to reconstruct a variety of ph=
ysical phenomena, including the temperatures at which the rocks containin=
g them were formed.</P> <P>Another important paper, co-authored with Urey=
 in 1959, became a seminal study in the constituents of primitive meteori=
tes, which are the most pristine materials left over from the formation o=
f the solar system.</P> <P>A third paper, which Mayeda co-authored with a=
nother Urey associate, Cesare Emiliani, in 1961, helped establish firm da=
tes for the ice age using isotopic measurements. And in 1983, she co-auth=
ored a paper with Clayton that established the relationship between vario=
us types of Martian meteorites.</P> <P>Since 1958, Mayeda had worked with=
 Clayton full time until she became ill in early January. Her services we=
re much in demand from scientists around the world who needed oxygen isot=
opic measurements in order to properly classify their meteorite specimens=
 "She=E2=80=99s been the one who did all the work," Clayton said.</P> <P=
>Mayeda=E2=80=99s daughter, Sibyl Yau, Clinical Director of the Gastroint=
estinal Procedure Unit at the University Hospitals, said her mother=E2=80=
=99s passions were her scientific work and her long-time collaboration wi=
th Clayton. "Very far down in the deepest part of her, that=E2=80=99s who=
 she was," Yau said.</P> <P>Mayeda was the recipient of the Society Merit=
 Prize from the Geochemical Society of Japan in 2002. That year, an aster=
oid also was named in her honor. </P> <P>She mentored many Chicago gradua=
te students who went on to start their own laboratories in the United Sta=
tes and abroad. Many of them came to know her as "mom."</P> <P>Mayeda lov=
ed to travel with her husband, daughter and son-in-law, Yau said. She had=
 visited nearly every state in the country, took annual trips to Florida =
and often returned to Japan.</P> <P>Born to Matsusaburo and Haruko (Okada=
) Kuki in Tacoma, Wash., on Feb. 7, 1923, Mayeda spent most of her childh=
ood in Japan, living first in Yokkaichi, where her mother died, and then =
in Osaka. She returned to Tacoma after graduating from high school. She a=
nd her father were sent to the Tule Lake Internment Camp in California af=
ter the United States entered World War II.</P> <P>The residents of the c=
amp lived in corrugated tin barracks with tarpaper floors, but they brigh=
tened their lives by organizing dances and practicing ikebana, the Japane=
se art of flower arranging. "They tried to have a quasi-normal life," Yau=
 said.</P> <P>At Tule Lake, Mayeda met her husband, Harry, whom she marri=
ed on Feb. 10, 1952. Harry Mayeda died last year. </P> <P>Mayeda is survi=
ved by her daughter, Sibyl Yau of Skokie, Ill.; her son-in-law, Jack Yau;=
 three sisters-in-law, Yoko Kuki, Pearl Zarilla and Helen Saiki; and many=
 nieces and nephews. </P></FONT><BR><BR>Please visit, www.MeteoriteArticl=
es.com, a free on-line archive of meteor and meteorite articles.</DIV></B=
ODY></HTML>

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Received on Tue 16 Mar 2004 01:46:44 AM PST