Background
Swenson, Ruth Wildman was born on July 16, 1924 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States. Daughter of Charles Harkness and Dorothy Eulalie (Carpenter) Bowman.
Swenson, Ruth Wildman was born on July 16, 1924 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, United States. Daughter of Charles Harkness and Dorothy Eulalie (Carpenter) Bowman.
AB, Mount Holyoke College, 1946; Master of Science, University of Illinois, 1947; Doctor of Philosophy, Iowa State University, 1969.
Assistant chemist, Illinois Geological Survey, Urbana, 1947-1949;
research assistant biochemistry Department, University Wisconsin, Madison, 1949-1950;
instructor, adviser, Iowa State University, Ames, 1966-1969;
assistant professor botany, Iowa State University, Ames, 1969-1972;
associate professor, Iowa State University, Ames, 1972-1977;
professor, Iowa State University, Ames, 1977-1987;
professor emerita, Iowa State University, Ames, since 1987;
assistant dean College Science and Humanities, Iowa State University, Ames, 1975-1984;
associate dean College of Science and Humanities, Iowa State University, Ames, 1984-1987;
associate dean emerita College Liberal Arts and Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, since 1987;
member liberal arts and science dean's advisory county, Iowa State University, Ames, since 1994. State coordinator national identification program American Council Education, 1983-1984. Visiting scientist Los Alamos (New Mexico) National Laboratory, 1984.
Member delegate science deansChina Association Science and Technology, People's Republic of China, 1986. Co-director career workshop National Science Foundation, 1977.
Board directors Women in Science and Engineering Archives, since 1993, American Red Cross, Story County, Iowa, 1963-1972, chair, 1971-1972. Board directors Ames Town & Gown Chamber Music Association, 1980-1986, 92-95, president, 1983-1984, secretary since 1993. Board directors Ames International Orchestra Festival Association, 1979-1985, 87-90, treasurer 1988-1990.
Board directors Central Iowa Symphony, Ames, 1990-1993, vice president, 1991-1992. Board directors Emergency Residence Project, Ames, 1988-1992, president, 1990-1991. Fellow Iowa Academy of Sciences (board directors 1985-1988, president 1989-1990).
Member American Association of University Women, League of Women Voters (president-elect 1994-1995, president 1995-1996), Association for Women in Science, National Academy Advising Association (board directors 1986-1989), Argonne Universities Association (trustee 1977-1980), Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy (life), Phi Beta Kappa (Zeta of Iowa chapter president 1985-1986), Sigma Xi, Phi Kappa Phi (secretary-treasurer 1988-1991), Iota Sigma Pi (life).
Married William Cooper Wildman, August 21, 1947 (divorced 1979). Married Clayton Albert Swenson, January 1, 1980.