Nuclear Museum Logo
Nuclear Museum Logo

National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

Barbara B. Starner

Reactor OperatorLos Alamos, NM

Manhattan Project VeteranSpouse to Manhattan Project Worker

Barbara Brennan Joanides arrived in Los Alamos in May of 1945 with her husband who worked on the project.  

Joanides worked at Omega Site as the first female reactor operator in Los Alamos, controlling the fuel rods by hand. After the war, she divorced and married John Starner, who she met at Omega Site. The couple had four children and lived a happy life in Los Alamos.

Barbara passed away in 1991.

Barbara B. Starner's Timeline
1922 Born in Massachusetts.
1945 May Arrived in Los Alamos, where she worked as one of the first female reactor operators at Omega Site.

Related Profiles

Thomas J. Davis

Los Alamos, NM

Thoms Davis was an electrician assigned to work at Los Alamos. Prior to working for the Army Corps of Engineers at Los Alamos from January 1945 to June 1946, Davis worked at the Houston Shipyards.

George A. Patten

Tinian Island

George A. Patten served in the 320th Troop Carrier Squadron.

Jim Hendry

Los Alamos, NM

Louie G. Nunley

Oak Ridge, TN