International House Berkeley

8 International House Times 8 International House Times T he decision to open the university's doors to women on equal terms with men occurred in 1870, just two years after the University of California was founded. To commemorate this milestone, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ has designated 2020 as "150 Years of Women at Berkeley." e yearlong celebration will feature a series of events and activities that compile and present an archive of historical information covering the last 150 years of women at the university. is project encourages the community to explore the history of women and gender diversity more broadly at Berkeley. is rich history is full of tales of achievements, discrimination, and overcoming adversity. International House has also contributed to breaking barriers throughout its 90-year history. When the idea of International House was first proposed to the Berkeley community in the 1920s, there was considerable resistance to men and women living under one roof. One cannot deny the remarkable contributions to society made by women who resided at International House. Among our growing list of notable alumnae are trailblazers such as neuroscientist Marian Diamond; aviator Maggie Gee; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Sadako Ogata; mountaineer and environmental health scientist Arlene Blum; philanthropist Wendy Schmidt, and Baroness Oona King. Marian Diamond (IH 1949-52) Marian Diamond, 2016 I-House Alumna of the Year, was a pioneering scientist and educator who is considered one of the founders of modern neuroscience. She and her team were the first to publish evidence that the brain can change with experience and improve with enrichment – what is now called neuroplasticity. A professor emerita of integrative biology at UC Berkeley, she achieved celebrity in 1984 when she examined preserved slices of Einstein's brain, finding that he had more than the average amount of support cells. Maggie Gee (IH 1950-51) Maggie Gee was one of the first Chinese-American aviators of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. Since female pilots were not allowed in combat at the time, she helped male pilots train for combat and also ferried military aircraft. After graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in physics, she worked at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. She is also featured in a number of books and documentaries. Sadako Nakamura Ogata (IH 1956-57) Sadako Ogata, 1992 I-House Alumna of the Year, was the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 1991 to 2000. She was also the Chair of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Executive Board from 1978 to 1979, and as President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from 2003 to 2012. She also served as Advisor of the Executive Committee of the Japan Model United Nations (JMUN). Please see Sadako Ogata's obituary on page 18. 90 Years of Notable Women at International House Read about more notable I-House alumnae at ihouse.berkeley.edu/notable A major campus-wide history project is underway with many other activities planned throughout the year. If you would like to participate in this effort, we encourage you to explore the 150W website: 150w.berkeley.edu.

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