# Carla Messina

> physicist

**Wikidata**: [Q114065914](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q114065914)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/carla-messina

## Summary

Carla Messina was born on July 22, 1937, in Ames[1] and died on January 31, 2021, in Bethesda[1][2]. She was the daughter of John H. Harms[1] and Alberta L. Harms[1]. Following her death, she was buried at Arlington National Cemetery[2].A physicist by occupation[1], Messina's fields of study included physics, thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, and typesetting[3]. She received her education from the University of Maryland and George Washington University[3]. Her professional career included a long tenure at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where she was employed from 1958 to 1990[1].

## Summary
Carla Messina was an American physicist who worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for over three decades. Her work spanned thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, typesetting, and computer science.

## Biography
- Born: July 22, 1937, in Ames
- Died: January 31, 2021, in Bethesda
- Nationality: United States
- Education:
  - Bachelor of Science in physics, University of Maryland (1958)
  - Master of Science in physics, George Washington University (1962)
- Known for: Physics research spanning thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, typesetting, and computer science
- Employer(s): National Institute of Standards and Technology (1958–1990)
- Field(s): Physics, thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, typesetting, computer science

## Contributions
Carla Messina built a career as a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where she worked from 1958 to 1990. Her research spanned multiple domains within physics, including thermodynamics and molecular biophysics. She also worked in typesetting and computer science, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of scientific work at NIST during her tenure.

Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Maryland, completed in 1958, followed by a Master of Science in physics from George Washington University in 1962. These qualifications supported her long career at one of the United States' premier measurement standards laboratories.

Archival materials related to her family, including "Harms Family DVDs," are held at the University of Maryland Libraries, suggesting documentation of personal or family history alongside her professional contributions.

## FAQs

### Q: What was Carla Messina's role at NIST?
A: Carla Messina worked as a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology from 1958 to 1990, a 32-year career spanning research in thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, typesetting, and computer science.

### Q: Where was Carla Messina educated?
A: She earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of Maryland in 1958 and a Master of Science in physics from George Washington University in 1962.

### Q: When and where was Carla Messina born and when did she die?
A: Carla Messina was born on July 22, 1937, in Ames, and died on January 31, 2021, in Bethesda.

## Why They Matter
Carla Messina's significance lies in her long service at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a critical U.S. measurement standards laboratory. Working there from 1958 to 1990, she contributed to scientific research during a transformative period in American science and technology. Her work spanned multiple disciplines—thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, typesetting, and computer science—demonstrating the interdisciplinary approach often required at standards laboratories where precision and innovation intersect.

As a woman physicist working across these fields during the mid-to-late 20th century, her career represents the contributions of female scientists to federal research institutions. Her presence at NIST for over three decades indicates sustained professional recognition and the value of her work to the institution's mission of maintaining measurement standards and advancing scientific knowledge.

## Notable For
- 32-year career at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (1958–1990)
- Research spanning thermodynamics, molecular biophysics, typesetting, and computer science
- Advanced degrees in physics from two major research universities
- Archival records preserved at University of Maryland Libraries
- Burial at Arlington National Cemetery

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Carla Gretchen Harms Messina was born on July 22, 1937, in Ames. Her parents were John H. Harms and Alberta L. Harms. She pursued higher education in physics, earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland in 1958, followed by a Master of Science from George Washington University in 1962.

### Career at NIST
Messina's professional career was centered at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, where she worked as a physicist from 1958 to 1990. NIST, headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a measurement standards laboratory of the United States government. During her 32-year tenure, Messina worked across multiple fields including:
- Physics
- Thermodynamics
- Molecular biophysics
- Typesetting
- Computer science

### Later Life and Legacy
Messina resided in Bethesda. She died on January 31, 2021, in Bethesda and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Columbarium Court 8, Section B, Column 14, Niche 5. Archival materials related to the Harms family, including DVDs, are preserved at the University of Maryland Libraries.

### Names and Identifiers
Messina was known by several names during her life, including:
- Carla Gretchen Harms Messina
- Carla Gretchen Harms
- Carla Gretchen Messina
- Carla Harms
- Carla G. Messina

She held multiple authority record identifiers, including:
- ISNI: 000000038434112X
- VIAF ID: 275377543
- Library of Congress Authority ID: n85269550
- WorldCat Entities ID: E39PCjF3JYwFbCXGX36JxDXkrC

## References

1. [Source](https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/washingtonpost/name/carla-messina-obituary?id=6126678)
2. [Find a Grave](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/223587635)
3. [Source](https://www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/19867620/Carla-Messina)
4. Virtual International Authority File
5. Library of Congress Authorities
6. CiNii Research
7. [Source](http://hdl.handle.net/1903.1/4261)
8. [Source](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/223587635)