Carol (1940-2009) practiced law from 1984 until 2004. Law was Carol’s third career: she previously taught high school science and was a research scientist for many years.
Carol received a B.Sc. in 1961 from Cortland College. She received a Masters of Arts in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1963. She taught chemistry and physics at Joel Barlow Senior High in West Redding, Connecticut from 1963 – 1964 and Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina from 1964 – 1965.
Carol earned a Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1970 from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. Her science research continued at the National Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIEHS), Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Carol became the 1st NIEHS woman scientist to receive the federal government’s equivalent of “tenure” in 1977. Her seminal scientific research on dioxin (the highly toxic contaminant in Agent Orange) continues to be cited in scientific articles.
Carol earned a J.D. in 1984 from the University of North Carolina School of Law. In 1985 she became a Board Certified toxicologist. Her law practice focused upon environmental law and toxic tort cases.
She was among the 1st group of women invited for membership in the Rotary Club of Raleigh and was a long time Rex Hospital volunteer.
Carol battled with aplomb a rare neurological disease, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), for seven years.
The firm, at Marvin Schiller‘s behest, established the Carol Masters Schiller Distinguished Scholar of Neurology in 2008 at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill. Dr. Kirk Wilhemsen, M.D., Ph.D. currently holds the chair.
NIEHS honored Carol in its January 2010 newsletter shortly after she passed.