What does a Scientist look like? Can you name 5 male scientists? How about 5 female scientists?

This form activity is about

Objective To consider the role of female Scientists and their contribution to the modern world.

What are the challenges that these female scientists faced?

Many women are still put off a career in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) industry. This may be due to perception of what it means to work in those industries, pressure to conform to a particular role or lack of aspirational figures.

Whilst number are rising…

…The gender imbalance is VAST!

Women are underrepresented in many industries still

Here are 5 examples of historical women in sTEM subjects and their important work STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics

Marie Curie Marie Curie (1867-1934) is the only person to have won Nobel Prizes in two different scientific disciplines. Her contributions to physics and chemistry were revolutionary. She developed the theory of radioactivity, devised techniques for isolating radioactive isotopes, discovered two elements (polonium and radium), and invented mobile X-ray devices for use in field hospitals near the front lines during the First World War.

Chien-Shiung Wu Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997) was known as “The First Lady of Physics.” She disproved a “law” of nature, worked on the Manhattan Project (to produce the first nuclear bomb), was the first female instructor in Princeton’s physics department, and earned a reputation as the leading experimental physicist of her time.

Annie Jump Cannon Annie Jump Cannon (1863-1941) was vital to the development of contemporary stellar classification. Her work – known as the Harvard Classification Scheme – was the first serious attempt to organize and classify stars based on their temperatures and spectral types. A devoted suffragist, Cannon helped pave the way for women in astronomy. An award in her name is presented by the American Astronomical Society each year to female astronomers for distinguished contributions to the field.

Emmy Noether Emmy Noether (1882-1935) was a math and physics pioneer who refused to sit on the sidelines. Shut out of academia due to her gender, she persisted and earned a PhD. Banned from teaching, she did it anyway and eventually held an official position. Hounded out of Germany by the Nazis, she went to the US and taught at Bryn Mawr and Princeton. Today, Noether’s discoveries in symmetry and conservation underpin much of modern physics.

Ada Lovelace Mathematician Ada Lovelace (1815-1852) was the first person to recognize that computers would have applications beyond pure calculation. She wrote the first algorithm intended to be carried out by the “mechanical computer” proposed by Charles Babbage, and in time became known as the first computer programmer.

(She was not only the first black woman to travel in space but also an accomplished engineer and physician) Women have already made huge contributions in the STEM fields and will continue to do so in the future. Aim high and succeed!