Skip to main content

Haas, Violet B., 1921-

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: November 23, 1926 - January 21, 1986

Biographical Information

Violet Haas was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1926. She received a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College in 1947. Haas later matriculated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.I.T.) where she received her master's degree in 1949 and her Ph.D. in 1951, both of which were in mathematics. While at M.I.T., Violet was introduced to her future husband, Felix.

After school, Haas taught at the University of Connecticut, Wayne State University, and the University of Detroit. She came to Purdue University in 1962, where she joined the faculty as an assistant professor in the College of Electrical Engineering and Computing Engineering. By 1978 she had become a full professor of Electrical Engineering and had published numerous scholarly articles in the areas of optimal control, nonlinear control, and optimal estimation. Haas also garnered numerous awards for her research and teaching excellence, including the National Science Foundation Science Faculty Fellowship, the A.A.U.W. Vassie James Hill Fellowship, the D.D. Ewing Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, and the Helen B. Schleman Gold Medallion Award. In addition, Haas served as a role model and counselor to many female students.

She and fellow professor Carolyn Perrucci co-edited a book entitled Women in Scientific and Engineering Professions in 1984. Haas continued to work at Purdue until her death in 1986. The Council on the Status of Women established the Violet B. Haas award in her honor in 1990 to recognize individuals who have helped to promote the status of women at Purdue.

There is conflicting information regarding the birth date of Violet Haas; most sources site her birth year as 1926.

Citation:
Eighth meeting of the 1985-1986 Purdue University Senate, UA 8, Purdue University Faculty and Senate records, Purdue University Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Council on the Status of Women records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 49
Scope and Contents The Council on the Status of Women records document the activities and impact of the Council on the Status of Women at Purdue University.  The collection provides a comprehensive picture of the various activities and causes that Council was involved in during its tenure.  Also included are some news clippings about notable members and relevant stories about women’s rights in the news.  The collection would likely be useful for researchers interested in women’s rights, affirmative action,...
Dates: 1988 - 2012
Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections

Violet B. Haas collection

 Collection — Box Communal Collections 23, Placement: 09
Identifier: MSF 155
Scope and Contents

One folder containing a program from the funeral service for Violet Haas.

Dates: 1986
Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections