"Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life" Oct. 14

Biophysical chemist and mountaineer Arlene Blum gives talk on memoir

October 30, 2009

Biophysical chemist and mountaineer Arlene Blum will give a dramatic slide lecture, "Breaking Trail: Molecules to Mountains," sharing the best photos and stories from her memoir, Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life, on Wednesday, October 14 at 7 p.m. in the Alice Haynes Room in Tyler Haynes Commons.

 The biophysical chemist, author, and mountaineer is the founder and executive director of the Green Science Policy Institute and a visiting scholar in chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley.

Beginning with removing cancer-causing chemicals from children's sleepwear in the 1970s, Blum’s work to bring science into regulatory decisions has stopped the use of hundreds of millions of pounds of toxic chemicals. Blum’s goal is to bridge the gap between scientific research and policy to help create a healthier safer environment. Blum holds a doctorate in biophysical chemistry and has taught at Stanford University, Wellesley College, and UC Berkeley.

Blum led the first American and all-women’s ascent of Annapurna I, one of the world’s most dangerous and difficult mountains. She also led the first women’s team up Mt. McKinley; was the first American woman to attempt Mt. Everest; made the first traverse of the Great Himalaya Range of Bhutan, Nepal and India; and hiked the length of the European Alps with her baby daughter on her back.

Her first book, Annapurna: A Woman’s Place was included in Fortune magazine's 2005 list of “The 75 Smartest Business Books We Know” and was chosen by National Geographic Adventuremagazine as one of the 100 top adventure books of all time. Her new memoir, Breaking Trail: A Climbing Life tells the story of how Blum realized improbable dreams among the worlds’ highest mountains, in the chemistry laboratory, and in the public policy arena.

The National Women’s History Project recently selected Blum as one of 100 “Women Taking the Lead to Save Our Planet.” Her other awards include a Purpose Prize to those over age 60 who are solving society’s greatest problems, and a Gold Medal from the Society of Women Geographers, an honor previously given to only eight other women including Amelia Earhart and Margaret Mead.

Posted August 24, 2009

Article ID: 281