Maureen Gillen Chan

Maureen Gillen Chan, 74, a retired polymer chemistry manager at AT&T Bell Laboratories and a former member of the ACS Board of Directors, died on Jan. 21 in Bedminster, N.J., following a brave battle with cancer.

Born in Brooklyn, Chan received a B.S. degree in chemistry in 1961 from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia and an M.S. in chemistry in 1963 from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, N.J.

Chan spent her entire career at AT&T Bell Laboratories (now Lucent Technologies), where she conducted research on the degradation and stabilization of polymers used in telecommunications applications. She became technical manager of the Polymer Chemistry Advanced Materials & Stabilization Group before retiring in 1996. During her career, she was a member of the company’s technical staff and served on many laboratory committees. She is credited with 27 technical papers and one patent.

Chan joined ACS in 1966. An active member of the North Jersey Section, she served on the executive committee and on ACS Council. She was a founder of the section’s Metro Women Chemists Committee and cochair of the section’s Government Affairs Committee. On a national level, she served on numerous committees, including the Committee on Public Affairs & Public Relations, and was chair of the Women Chemists Committee and a consultant to the ACS National Historic Chemical Landmarks program. She was a member of the ACS Board of Directors for six years.

She will be remembered for treating all people with respect. For decades, Chan shared the importance of chemistry with hundreds of young students and, in particular, reached out to women and minority students to make a difference in their lives. She also mentored countless undergraduate and graduate chemistry students.

She was active in many civic and church activities and was a founding member of the Shrine of St. Joseph church in Stirling, N.J.

Chan is survived by her husband of 52 years, C. K.; her brothers, John and Jerome Gillen; her sister, N. A. (Gil) Gillen; five nieces; a great-nephew; and a great-niece.