Hi! My name is Kevin Allison Nies
The first question most people ask me is how did you get your name "Kevin?" I asked my parents the same question as a child, and they always told me that they wanted a name that was nickname proof.
They didn't want a name like Susan that could be changed into Suzie or some shortened form. But the real reason had something to do with the fact that on my father's side of the family, no girl babies had been born for 7 generations. So my parents must have been convinced that I would be a boy. They chose an Irish name because, on my mother's side of the family, my great-great-great grandfather was born in Dublin, Ireland. His family immigrated to Canada sometime after that.
How did you become interested in physics?
My father was an engineer working in broadcast television, and I grew up in a home surrounded by science books and toys I "inherited" from my older brother. I became interested in astronomy when I was 5 or 6 years old. I remember reading The Handbook of the Heavens, and nebula were my favorite objects. When I was 12, my father bought me a 2" refractor telescope. In high school, he advised me to major in science because it had a well-rounded curriculum. Despite all this, my parents were surprised when I announced I would major in physics in college.
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Why are you a feminist?
There were a total of 6 women in the physics department in college. We were the "Sputnik generation" who took PSSC physics in high school in the 1960's. Some of the professors did not want us there. In physics at this time, there was a tradition of flunking most women out before (meanest way) or after they got the Masters degree (less mean). I filed a grievance against one professor (who flunked 2 women in his graduate program) when he tried to remove me. I discovered that the school's grievance procedure was a sham. Then, I sued the University in Superior Court. It was an up-hill battle much like fighting city hall. I was un-employable for many years afterwards.
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Why did you start making video programs?
After several years of being embroiled in legal battles, I created the perfect job for myself. I would produce a video-course about women physicists and their research. I called my approach "video verite" after the filmaker Frederick Wiseman. I had always been interested in singing and musical theatre. In college, I took a couple of film courses and considered enrolling in the Brooks Institute of Photography. Making documentaries about women scientists was a perfect way to combine all these interests .
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In 1980, I set up a non-profit corporation called the California Video Institute as a production company. In 1986, CVI received its permanent tax-exempt status from the IRS. In the photo above, I am video-taping a program I produced back in 1982, about the women who worked on Voyager Mission at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. Over the last 20 years, I have made 9 video programs and published 2 books of biographies of women scientists. Eventually, all the biographies will go up on The Hypatia Institute.
In 1985, I started working in the public school system at the secondary level. When the students finish their assignments early, I often use science crossword puzzles in class. Of course, there are always a few students who prefer to doodle and sketch the teacher. Now, I have created several crossword puzzles on-line with the answers. Teachers can download these puzzles about women scientists in history.
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In 1992, I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. After my surgery to remove my uterus, I attended a support group (below) for people with all kinds of cancer at the hospital. Some of the members of our group have passed away; one in particular, a 90 year-old lady named "Pep" who had colon cancer. In the photo, we are celebrating her last birthday. I have been cancer free for almost 5 years. I was very lucky. A life-threatening disease like cancer does force you to re-order your priorities. I felt exhilarated to be alive after my surgery, and I have tried to hold on to that feeling. I returned to work, and eventually, resumed working on this website.
Stay tuned.....Allison