Mary Berg Papers, Iowa Women's Archives, University of Iowa Libraries

Finding Aid

MARY BERG (1950-2004)
PAPERS, 1911-2004
QUANTITY: 4.75 linear feet and artifacts

Acquisition: The papers (donor no. 974) were donated by Maureen Donovan in 2004.

Access: The papers are open for research.
Copyright: Copyright held by the donor has been transferred to the University of Iowa.

Preferred Citation: Box #, Mary Berg Papers, Iowa Women’s Archives, The University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City.

Photographs: In Boxes 10 and 11.
Audiovisual: Two videocassettes (V383-V384) shelved in videocassette collection.

Processed by: Sarah M. Dorpinghaus, 2008.

Iowa Women's Archives
100 Main Library
University of Iowa Libraries
Iowa City, Iowa 52242

Phone: 319-335-5068
Fax: 319-335-5900
E-mail the Iowa Women's Archives

Biography

Mary J. Berg, pharmacist and scholar, was born in 1950 in Fargo, North Dakota, to Ordean and Anna Margaret (Skramstad) Berg. Berg earned a BS in pharmacy from North Dakota State University in 1974 and a doctorate in pharmacy from the University of Kentucky in 1978. In 1980, Berg became an assistant professor at the University of Iowa and in 1995, she was the first woman promoted to full professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Iowa. Berg retired in 2004.

Berg achieved international prominence for her work on gender-related differences in medication response and her efforts to foster the role of women in pharmacy. Berg co-edited four books, published over fifty articles, and gave numerous presentations around the world on women in pharmacy and gender-related health issues. She was an active member of numerous professional organizations including Kappa Epsilon, the Advisory Committee to the Office of Research on Women’s Health for the National Institutes of Health, and the Society for the Advancement of Women’s Health Research, which she served as a member of its board of directors from 1998 to 2002. In 1999, Berg was inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. Berg passed away in 2004.

Scope and Content Note

The Mary Berg papers date from 1911 to 2004 and measure 4.75 linear feet. The papers are arranged in eight series: Biographical, Anna Berg, Publications, Presentations, Professional Development, Research Files, Photographs, and Artifacts.

The Biographical series (1950-2004) includes information on Berg’s childhood, hobbies, and friends, including National Philharmonic Director Stan Engebretson. Also included is Berg’s personal correspondence and materials related to Berg’s induction into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame. Berg's CVs, professional biographies, and newspaper clippings that feature Berg’s work are also part of this series.

The Anna Berg series (1911-2001) consists of materials related to Mary Berg’s mother Anna Margaret Skramstad Berg, a native of North Dakota. A significant portion of the series contains information on the Skramstad family including several brief memoirs on the family's history. Two scrapbooks contain memorabilia from Anna Skramstad Berg's school years and newspaper clippings about North Dakota and the Skramstad family. Other materials include photocopied photographs and Anna Berg's mother’s nursing diploma, dated 1911. The series also includes several books, some of which are written in Norwegian, and Anna Berg's travel journals from the family’s trips to Europe. Correspondence in the series mostly consists of weekly letters from Anna Berg to her daughter, Mary Berg. In addition, the series includes substantial information about Anna Berg's illness and death.

The Publications series (1982-2001) is comprised of Berg’s published work and conference papers on gender-related health issues. The four books Berg co-edited complete the series. The Presentations series (1987-2001) includes materials used in, or related to, Berg’s presentations at pharmaceutical and women’s health conferences around the world. These materials are organized chronologically and include abstracts, lecture notes, presentation slides, as well as brochures and booklets from the conferences.

The Professional Development series (1985-2004) includes materials on conferences Berg helped organize as well as several committees on which she served. It also includes scholarly papers written by Neil Cummings, a colleague of Berg's, which Mary Berg edited. This series contains information on Berg’s activities at the University of Iowa including her efforts to become the first women full professor in the College of Pharmacy.

The Research Files series (1987-2002) includes publications and newspaper articles related to Berg’s research. It also includes newspaper articles related to gender inequity in academia and the field of pharmacy.

The Photographs series (1911-2002) is comprised of family and professional photographs. Included are Anna Skramstad Berg’s photograph albums from her childhood and teenage years. The Artifacts series (1974-1978) includes two mortar and pestles given to Berg upon receipt of her MA and PhD, and a small fabric banner from Berg’s lecture series at China Pharmaceutical University.

Box List

Box 1 BIOGRAPHICAL
General, 1996-2004, undated Curriculum vitas, 1998-2002 Professional biographies, 1981-2000
Newspaper clippings: General, 1998-2002, undated
Mary Berg, 1986, undated
Laminated, 1999 [shelved in map case]
Early life: Baby book, 1950
Childhood, 1950, undated
Education, 1969, 1979, undated
Correspondence: General, 1990-2000
Greeting cards, 1995-2001 (folders 1 and 2)
Box 2: Greeting cards, 1995-2001 (folder 3)
Danielle Klose-Spillmann, 1994, undated
Awards: General, 1993, undated
Iowa Women's Hall of Fame, 1999 (2 folders)
Music, 1958-2001, undated
Poetry, 1968-1995, undated Friends’ memorials, 1992, 2000 Stan Engebretson [friend]: Biographical, 1999-2003, undated
Correspondence, 1999-2003, undated
New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, Washington D.C., 1999-2003
Performances, 1998-2003
Retirement, 2004

Box 3
ANNA BERG [mother]
Books: Childhood books, undated
Prayer books, 1911, 1967
High school yearbook, 1939
Music books, 1931, undated (2 folders)
Journal, 1981
Correspondence: General, 1931-1997, undated
Mary Berg, 1976-2000

Box 4
Family history (2 folders), 1911-2000, undated
Memoir, undated
Newspaper clippings from Fargo, ND, bulk 1997-2000
Scrapbooks: Memorabilia from childhood and teen years, 1911-1935 [oversize: shelved in Box 14]
Aunt Helen's newspaper clippings, 1940-1945 [oversize: shelved in Box 15]
Travel Journals: Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, 1985
Norway, 1987
Disney World, Florida,1989
London and Norway, 1990
Basel, Switzerland, unidentified, 1993, 1994
Box 5
Illness and death: Home care, 2000
Memorials and tributes, 2000-2001
Reflections, 2000-2001
PUBLICATIONS
"Antipsychotic Medications and Ethnicity," Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine,(1998)
Charcoal, 1982-1994, undated: "Acceleration of the Body Clearance of Phenobarbital by Oral Activated Charcoal," New England Journal of Medicine, (1982)
"Effect of Charcoal and Sorbitol-Charcoal Suspension on the Elimination of Intravenous Phenobarbital," Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, (1987)
"Surface Characterization of Activated Charcoal by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS): Correlation with Phenobarbital Adsorption Data," Pharmaceutical Research, (1992)
"Effect of Three Charcoal Preparations of Oral and Intravenous Phenobarbital," Clin. Research and Reg. Affairs, (1993)
"Phenobarbital Removal Characteristics of Three Brands of Activated Charcoals: A System Analysis Approach," Pharmaceutical Research, (1994)
Gender Differences, 1997-2000: "Status of Research on Gender Differences," Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, (1997)
"Drugs, Vitamins, and Gender," Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine,(1998)
"Gender-Specific Prescribing: Medications and the Menstrual Cycle," Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine,(1998)
"Drugs, Vitamins, and Gender," Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine, (1998)
"Chapter 21: Pharmacological Differences Between Men and Women," Sex Differences in PK and PD, (2000)
Parkinsonism, 1987, 1992: "Parkinsonism- Drug Treatment: Part I," Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy, (1987)
"Parkinsonism- Drug Treatment: Part II," Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy, (1987)
"Parkinsonism- Drug Treatment: Part III- Update," The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, (1992)
Pharmacokinetics, 1983, 1999: "Optimization of Pharmacokinetic Monitoring: I. Linear Pharmacokinetics," Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, (1983)
"Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Cardiovascular Agents," Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine,(1999)
"Pharmacologic Issues," Agenda for Research on Women's Health for the 21st Century, (1999)
Phenytoin and Folic Acid, 1983-2001, undated: "Phenytoin and Folic Acid Interaction: A Preliminary Report," Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, (1983)
"Phenytoin and Folic Acid: Individualized Drug-Drug Interaction," Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, (1983)
"Phenytoin-Folic Acid: A Review," Drug Intelligence and Clinical Pharmacy, (1984)
"Phenytoin Binding in Healthy Volunteers," Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, (1987)
"Differences in Phenytoin Biotransformation and Susceptibility to Congenital Malformations: A Review," Pediatrics, (1991)
"Phenytoin Pharmacokinetics: Before and After Folic Acid Administration," Epilepsia, (1992)
"Folic Acid Improves Phenytoin Pharmacokinetics," Journal of the American Dietetic Association, (1995)
"Phenytoin-Folic Acid Interaction," The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, (1995)
"Drug and Environmental Factors Associated with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes, Parts I, II, and III," The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, (1998)
"The Importance of Folic Acid," Journal of Gender-Specific Medicine, (1999)
"Folic Acid and Other Micronutrient Intakes During Pregnancy in Certain Western European Countries Compared to Intakes in Two US Cities," 2000
"Folate, Zinc, and Vitamin B-12 Intake During Pregnancy and Postpartum," Journal of the American Dietetic Association, (2001)
Folic Acid and Prevention of Birth Defects, 2001
"Effects of Antiepileptics on Nutritional Status," Handbook of Drug-Nutrient Interactions, undated
Edited volumes: Gender-Related Health Issues: An International Perspective, Proceedings of the 55th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 1995

Box 6: Global Visions of Women Pharmacists: Speeches from an International Forum, Presentations from the Women for Pharmacy Luncheons held during Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique Congresses 1989-1998, 1995-2000
Proceedings of the International Leadership Symposium: The Role of Women in Pharmacy, 1987
"Women- A Force in Pharmacy," Proceedings of the Pharmacy World Congress, 1991
PRESENTATIONS: General, 1987-2001
Slides and transparencies, 1999, undated
"Women, Heath, and Development," 45th World Health Organization Assembly, Switzerland, 1992
Pharmacokinetics lectures at China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, China 1988-1989
"Gender Related Health Issues," 55th World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sweden, 1995; "Gender Framework for Health Research," 1997; "Luncheon Speech," The Hague, 1998
Box 7: "Biologic and Molecular Mechanisms for Sex Differences in Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Pharmacogenetics," 1999
"Drug-Nutrient and Nutrient-Nutrient Interaction: Implications for Women's Health," Congress on Women's Health and Gender-Based Medicine, 2000
Pharmacy World Congress, Vienna, Austria, 2000
"My Flexible Pharmacy Journey, From Fargo to the International Scene," North Dakota State University, 2000
"Gender Analysis of Medications: Challenges to the Sciences and the Profession of Pharmacy," 2002
"Gender Specific Medicine," Pharmacy World Congress, Austria, 2002
"Concepts of Sex-Based Biology: Focus on Pharmacological Differences Between Men and Women," 2003
"Gender Analysis of Medications: Does Sex Matter?" 2003
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Conferences: "48th International Congress of F.I.P.," Sydney, Australia, 1988
"International Forum for Women in Pharmacy," Washington, D.C., 1991; "Crossing Borders into the 21st Century," International Women's Health Conference, University of Iowa, 1999; "Crossing Borders into the 21st Century," International Women's Health Conference, University of Iowa, 1999, Tapes 1 and 2, (V383-V384) [shelved in videocassette collection]
Box 8
Committees: General, 1987-1999
Society for Women's Health Research, 1998-2000
Kappa Epsilon, 1985-1999
Cummings, Neil, 1994-1995 University of Iowa: New investigator research award, 1980-1985 (2 folders)
Courses, 1986-1994, undated
Sabbatical at F. Hoffmann- La Roche, Ltd., Switzerland, 1990-1992 (2 folders)
Promotion to full professor, 1994-1995 (folder 1)
Box 9: Promotion to full professor, 1994-1995 (folder 2)
Pharmacy building dedication, 1996-1997
Developmental leave, 1997-1999
Tenure review, 2003-2004
RESEARCH FILES: General, 1987, 2001, undated
Gender-related health issues, 1979-2002, undated
Pennell Initiative for Women's Health, 1999
Women in academia, 1994-1999
Women in pharmacy, 1987-2001

Box 10
PHOTOGRAPHS: Anna Berg photograph albums, 1932-1950 (4 folders)
Box 11: General, undated
Anna and Ordean Berg, 1994-2000, undated (2 folders)
Anna and Ordean Berg's home, undated
Christmas, 1986-2000, undated
Collages, undated
Family (5 folders), 1911-2000, undated
Gender health differences displays, undated
International Pharmaceutical students Federation, 1974 [shelved in map case]
Iowa Women's Hall of Fame, 1999 [shelved in map case]
Mary Berg, undated
Negatives, 1949, undated
Professional trips, 2001, undated
Stan Engebretson, 2001, undated
Switzerland (2 folders), 1992, 2002, undated
With others, 1992- 1998, undated
Women for Pharmacy Luncheon, 1998
46th Birthday celebration, 1996
Box 12: Matted images from Global Visions of Women Pharmacists, 1998 (2 folders)
Box 13
ARTIFACTS: China Pharmaceutical University banner, undated
Two brass mortars and pestles, 1974, 1978
"Women for pharmacy" pin, undated
Oversize materials (scrapbooks):
Box 14
ANNA BERG: Memorabilia from childhood and teen years, 1911-1935 [oversize: shelved in Box 14]
Box 15: Aunt Helen's newspaper clippings, 1940-1945 [oversize: shelved in Box 15]

For more information about this collection contact the Iowa Women's Archives.

Iowa Women’s Archives, University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City IA 52242.
Please send comments to: lib-women@uiowa.edu
URL: http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/iwa

Page created May 2008