Before the late Darleane Hoffman discovered ways to study rare elements and isotopes and advanced understanding of nuclear fission, she was a student at Iowa State University, where she found her passion for chemistry.
Named one of the “50 most important women in science,” Hoffman became a renowned nuclear chemist, despite not having a chance to study chemistry until she arrived in Ames. The small-town Iowan quickly developed a strong interest in the field, inspired by her female professor.
Hoffman earned her degrees from Iowa State and later became a researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She was one of the researchers who confirmed the existence of an element…