Carolyn Kimme-Smith, a physicist in mammography, a researcher in the field of breast-imaging technology and a retired UCLA professor, died July 23 at the age of 74.
Kimme-Smith worked at UCLA for nearly 20 years before retiring in 2000. Dr. Lawrence Bassett, a professor and section chief of the Iris Cantor Professor of Breast Imaging at UCLA, worked closely with Kimme-Smith during her career here.
“She was wonderful to work with and was always interested in the patients, helping the patients, and she made many contributions to mammography. She was active in improving the quality of mammography and helping establishing standards for quality of care,” Bassett said.
Kimme-Smith, herself a survivor of breast cancer, received her doctorate in physics from UC Irvine at the age of 48. In 1952, almost 30 years earlier, she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Minnesota. In 1960, she received her master’s degree in Numerical Analysis from New York University’s Courant Institute.
Her enthusiasm for learning began at a young age; by 16, Kimme-Smith had graduated from high school. Beth Shevin, Kimme-Smith’s daughter, said her mother’s passion for mathematics was a point of contention both during her education and her time in the workforce.
“She loved math, and it was very, very difficult. She was not encouraged whatsoever, because that was in the 1940s and women didn’t do math,” Shevin said.
After receiving her master’s degree, Kimme-Smith applied to Bell Telephone Labs in New Jersey. Despite her advanced education, she was only offered an entry-level secretarial job. She took it, determined to eventually move up the ranks.
“She took that job to get her foot in the door, and then because she was so qualified, she got a programming job,” Shevin said.
Kimme-Smith worked at Bell Telephone Labs until 1965, at which point she relocated to Santa Ana, California and worked as a programmer for ARINC Research.
Shevin said that by the mid-1970s, her mother wanted to go back to school for her doctoral degree. She was especially interested in breast cancer research, both because she had survived it and because her mother had died of when Kimme-Smith was 30 years old.
“Basically she had done everything she could do with the level of education she had at that point. She felt that there was so much more that she could do with a Ph.D., specifically research, with respect to things going on with ultrasound and mammography,” Shevin said.
In 1977, she began working toward her doctorate at UC Irvine. As a post-doctoral student, she joined the Division of Medical Physics at UCLA. She went on to become an Adjunct Assistant Professor and then a full Professor-in-Residence in the department of radiological sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine.
Bassett said Kimme-Smith was a pioneer for women in a time when many were shying away from high-profile careers.
“For her time, she was really one of those who helped break the glass ceiling,” Bassett said.
Mary Grooms VanCott worked with Kimme-Smith at UCLA. As an administrative assistant and administrative support in the department of radiological sciences, Grooms VanCott often transcribed and formatted pages of Kimme-Smith’s research before it was sent to be published. She described Kimme-Smith as “an extraordinary woman.”
“She talked about her passion for everything. She was not only passionate about her work, she was passionate about learning in general, and education. … She was passionate about life,” Grooms VanCott said.
Other coworkers spoke highly of Kimme-Smith’s professional accomplishments. Chris Cagnon, an assistant professor in the department of radiology and faculty member of the biomedical physics program in the school of medicine, said Kimme-Smith was instrumental to getting UCLA’s biophysics program accredited.
“She was always a very fierce advocate of the program and students and was a mentor to many students … She’s the kind of person who, regardless of political sensitivities, would always be a fierce advocate of what she thought was right,” Cagnon said.
Nanette DeBruhl, a clinical professor of radiology at UCLA, said Kimme-Smith was a prolific researcher as well as a great co-worker.
“We really were sorry when she retired because she was always coming up with great ideas for new research and had a very caring way about her,” DeBruhl said.
Even after retiring, Kimme-Smith continued to publish; this time, in the form of mystery novels. Shevin said her mother also traveled extensively with her husband of 32 years, Hal Smith, and did adult education courses in international relations and peacekeeping efforts.
“She was a powerhouse up until the very end. … She set a good example for all of us,” Shevin said.
Kimme-Smith died of heart failure related to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cagnon said that Kimme-Smith’s passing was mentioned at a recent meeting of the American Association of Physicists in Medicine.
He said her death was described “as a loss to the physics community at large.”
Kimme-Smith is survived by her husband, her three children, and four grandchildren.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the UCI Foundation/Center for Citizen Peacebuilding, Attn: Center for Citizen Peacebuilding, Paula Garb, University of California, Irvine, 3151 Social Science Plaza A, Irvine, CA 92697-5100.