Ada I. Pressman Papers
Collection
Identifier: LP001944
Scope and Content
The material in these papers represent Pressman’s education and professional career at Bechtel, as well as her involvement in the Society of Women Engineers, the Instrument Society of America, and the Young Women’s Christian Association. Materials from Pressman’s tenure as the president of the SWE can be found in the Society of Women Engineers Collection.
Papers consist of correspondence, certificates, clippings, speeches, educational records, awards, and artifacts. Slides, photographs, and photographic negatives have been transferred to the SWE Photograph Collection.
Important Subjects: Bechtel Corporation Engineering Instrument Society of America Society of Women Engineers Women engineers Young Women’s Christian Association
Papers consist of correspondence, certificates, clippings, speeches, educational records, awards, and artifacts. Slides, photographs, and photographic negatives have been transferred to the SWE Photograph Collection.
Important Subjects: Bechtel Corporation Engineering Instrument Society of America Society of Women Engineers Women engineers Young Women’s Christian Association
Dates
- 1950 - 1985
- Majority of material found within 1970 - 1985
Creator
- Pressman, Ada Irene (Person)
Language of Materials
Material entirely in English.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Use
Refer to the Walter P. Reuther Library
Rules for Use of Archival Materials.
History
Ada Irene Pressman, formerly Ada Irene Richardson, was a mechanical engineer who specialized in developing emergency safety systems for fossil-fired and nuclear power plants. She was born March 3, 1927 in Sidney, Ohio. In 1950 she received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and began working as a project engineer for Bailey Meter Company in Cleveland. She moved to Los Angeles in 1955 to work for Bechtel Corporation, again as a project engineer. She married Marvin Pressman in 1969, however he passed away the following year.
During her career at Bechtel, Pressman worked at numerous sites on the West Coast and was a Registered Professional Engineer in Arizona and California. After receiving a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University in 1974 she was promoted to Chief Control Systems Engineer at Bechtel. Pressman was named an Engineering Manager for Bechtel in 1979, a position she held until her retirement in 1987.
Pressman was actively involved in professional organizations. She was a member of the American Nuclear Society, a Fellow of the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering, and served as the vice president of the Instrument Society of America from 1973 to 1978. Additionally, Pressman was an honored and influential member of the Society of Women Engineers. She received the prestigious SWE Achievement Award in 1976 and served as the Society’s president from 1979 to 1980. 1n 1983 Pressman was named a SWE Fellow and was elected to the SWE Board of Trustees, a position she retained until her death in July of 2003.
During her career at Bechtel, Pressman worked at numerous sites on the West Coast and was a Registered Professional Engineer in Arizona and California. After receiving a Master of Business Administration from Golden Gate University in 1974 she was promoted to Chief Control Systems Engineer at Bechtel. Pressman was named an Engineering Manager for Bechtel in 1979, a position she held until her retirement in 1987.
Pressman was actively involved in professional organizations. She was a member of the American Nuclear Society, a Fellow of the Institute for the Advancement of Engineering, and served as the vice president of the Instrument Society of America from 1973 to 1978. Additionally, Pressman was an honored and influential member of the Society of Women Engineers. She received the prestigious SWE Achievement Award in 1976 and served as the Society’s president from 1979 to 1980. 1n 1983 Pressman was named a SWE Fellow and was elected to the SWE Board of Trustees, a position she retained until her death in July of 2003.
Extent
.5 Linear Feet ((1 MB), 1 OS flat)
Abstract
Ada Irene Pressman was a mechanical engineer who specialized in developing emergency safety systems for fossil-fired and nuclear power plants. Pressman was a registered Professional Engineer in both Arizona and California, where she worked for Bechtel Corporation for 32 years in various positions. Pressman was actively involved in professional engineering organizations, including serving as president of the Society of Women Engineers from 1979 to 1980. The material in these papers represent Pressman’s education and professional career at Bechtel, as well as her involvement in the SWE and other organizations. Materials from Pressman’s tenure as the president of SWE can be found in the Society of Women Engineers National Records.
Arrangement
Box 1 contains files arranged alphabetically, with the actual papers within the files arranged chronologically. Box 2 contains artifacts.
Acquisition
The papers of Ada Irene Pressman were placed in the Walter P. Reuther Library February of 2004 by Marge Inden and Jaclyn Spear.
Transfers
Photographs of Pressman have been placed in the SWE
Photograph Collection.
Processing History
Processed and finding aid written by Troy Eller on October 6, 2008.
Creator
- Pressman, Ada Irene (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Ada I. Pressman Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Walter P. Reuther Library.
- Date
- 2005-11
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Walter P. Reuther Library Repository
Contact:
5401 Cass Ave.
Detroit MI 48202 USA
5401 Cass Ave.
Detroit MI 48202 USA