Evelyn Murray-Lenthall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Evelyn E M Murray-Lenthall | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1937 |
| Died | 11 January 2025 (aged 87–88) Surrey, England |
| Education | University of Southampton, Tufts and MIT |
Evelyn E M Murray-Lenthall (1937 – 11 January 2025) was a Kenyan-born English engineer, who was president of the Society of Women Engineers[1] from 1982-83. As a member of the Clan Murray of Atholl she has been instrumental in many organisations in the United States which celebrate Scottish culture and heritage.[2]
Born Evelyn E M Murray, Murray-Lenthall was born in Nairobi, Kenya [1] in 1937.[3] Her father who was in the diplomatic service[2] was the Chief Engineer of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation and encouraged Murray-Lenthall to become an engineer.[3] Her early education was in Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia, later continuing her schooling in Surrey, England.[3]
Further education and engineering career
In 1957, Murray-Lenthall became a special trainee or apprentice at the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, whilst continuing her studies and achieving an Ordinary National Certificate in Applied Physics in 1960.[3] She received her BSc from the University of Southampton[1] in Physics and Mathematics, graduating in 1963.[3]
After her work at Marconi's transmitter development department, Murray-Lenthall also worked for Technical Operations Research in Burlington, Massachusetts where she was a Research Physicist.[3] During this time she was working on the Passive Q-switching of Ruby lasers.[3] Murray-Lenthall spent a year at the Itek Corporation and the joined the Philco-Ford Corporation in 1966.[1]
In 1971 Murray-Lenthall joined the Society of Women Engineers where she was an active member for many years.[1] As well as being a Fellow of the society, Murray-Lenthall was the twentieth president of the Society of Women Engineers from 1982 to 1983 after Helen Grenga. She was succeeded by Barbara Wollmershauser.
Murray-Lenthall was a member to a number of scientific and engineering organisations including:
- Institute of Physics[1]
- Massachusetts Engineers Council[1]
- Women's Engineering Society[1]
- Fellow Life Member of Society of Women Engineers[4]
Clan Murray of Atholl
Murray-Lenthall was a huge proponent of Scottish culture in the United States and an active member of Clan Murray.[2] Together with her husband, Murray-Lenthall owned Atholl Brose a shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts which sold Scottish paraphernalia, including Kilts which she was skilled at making.[2]
She also began a record label Atholl Brose which recorded, produced and published Scottish music.[2] In particular she collaborated with Ron Gonnella, an accomplished Scottish Fiddler,[5][6] to record The New Atholl Collection in 1986.[2] Murray-Lenthall was also a certified Royal Scottish Country Dance Society dance teacher and had choreographed a number of dances to accompany The New Atholl Collection.[7][6]
Murray-Lenthall was involved in a number of Scottish Heritage organisations including:
- Murray Clan Society of North America[2]
- Member of the board of Caledonian Foundation, USA[4]
- Founder of New Hampshire Gathering of the Scottish Clans[4][2]
- Co-founder of the New Hampshire Scottish Music Club [7]
- Founder of the North American Branch of the Murray Clan Society[2]
- President of the Association of Scottish Games & Festivals[2]
- Member of the Advisory Board for Fort Ticonderoga, NY[4]