Lois Aileen Bey

In September 2001, Dr. Ahmed Zewail, 1999 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, gave the Ralph Peck Memorial Lecture, to celebrate IIT's century of excellence in chemical engineering education and research. During this lecture, the chairman of the department, named Dr. Hamid Arastoopour, presented Lois Bey with the IIT Distinguished Alumni Award. It had a memorial plaque that read: "In recognition of her pioneering role as the first female graduate in chemical engineering at IIT, her commitment, and her contribution to the chemical engineering profession."

In 1960, Bey started working at Baxter Laboratories, during which she earned a master's degree in Library and Information Science. She combined both her degrees toward a career as an information specialist in the chemical research & development departments. In 1993, Bey retired from Stepan Chemical Company.

She started her career at Edwal Laboratories, and moved on to Underwriters Laboratories and the Armour Research Institute (now IIT Research Institute). In 1956, Bey became a sales engineer for F.M. De Beers, Assoc. where she sold and troubleshooted equipment.

Lois Aileen Bey (born May 8, 1929) is an American chemical engineer who overcame overt sexism throughout her lifetime. On June 9, 1950, she made history as the first woman to graduate from the chemical engineering program at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). She was also the only woman in the program at that time. Her graduation ceremony took place at the Civic Opera House.

In 1901, the College of Engineering at IIT officially established a Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering. This department at IIT is one of the oldest chemical engineering programs in the United States. Charles W. Pierce earned one of the program's first chemical engineering degrees. He was one of the first African American chemical engineers in the nation. Forty-nine years later, Bey became the first woman to graduate from their chemical engineering program.