Beatrice Hicks
An engineer who broke barriers for women in her field and invented a critical sensor that went to the moon.
1919–1979 (age 60)·Early woman engineer from the United States·Birthday: January 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Beatrice Hicks refused to be sidelined. In an era when engineering firms told women to seek secretarial work, she earned her degree, took over her father's engineering company, and transformed it into a technological leader. Her genius was practical and profound: she invented a gas density switch, a deceptively simple device that became indispensable. It monitored fuel systems in pioneering jets like the 707, safeguarded nuclear weapons, and, most famously, flew on every Apollo mission, including the lunar landings. Beyond her inventions, Hicks co-founded the Society of Women Engineers, creating the professional network she never had. Her election to the National Academy of Engineering wasn't just a personal honor; it was a signal that the field itself had changed.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Beatrice was born in 1919, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Beatrice Was Born
The biggest hits of 1919
Beatrice's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1919Born
Treaty of Versailles signed; Prohibition ratified
President: Woodrow Wilson
1924Started school
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1932Became a teenager
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1935Could drive
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1937Could vote
Hindenburg disaster; Golden Gate Bridge opens
Gas: $0.20/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"A-Tisket, A-Tasket" — Ella FitzgeraldBest Picture: The Life of Emile Zola
1940Turned 21
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1949Turned 30
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 40
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 50
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1979Turned 60
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
Key Achievements
- Invented the gas density switch, a critical sensor used in the Apollo program's spacecraft and the Boeing 707.
- Co-founded the Society of Women Engineers in 1950, serving as its first president.
- Was the first woman engineer employed by Western Electric in its engineering department.
- Elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1978, among the earliest women to receive that honor.
Did You Know?
She initially studied chemistry but switched to engineering after being inspired by a visit to the Thomas Edison laboratory.
Her gas density switch is still used today in power grid equipment and aerospace applications.
She and her husband, fellow engineer Rodney Chipp, often collaborated on engineering research projects.
“The engineer must be able to not only design a product but also to foresee its social and economic implications.”
