History is full of women who made enormous contributions to science. Some of them are rightfully well-known, like Marie Curie, Ada Lovelace and Rosalind Franklin. But others, like fossil hunter Mary Anning and NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson, aren’t such household names. Source: BBC Science Focus
Lesson plan;
- Read the article from BBC Science Focus
- In groups of 2 or 3, choose one of the women to write about.
- Try to find additional resources. Britannica; Women in Science.
- Present your findings in class
These women made groundbreaking contributions to their respective fields, often overcoming significant obstacles due to their gender. Their legacies continue to inspire future generations in STEM.
So, for this year’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’ve put together this list of 22 women in science history who deserve to be remembered for their work.
Here’s a summary of the article highlighting pioneering women in science history:
- Rosalind Franklin: Her work on the structure of DNA was crucial to understanding its helical structure.
- Janet Taylor: A nautical instrument designer and author, she made significant contributions to maritime navigation.
- Beatrice Shilling: An engineer who developed a device to prevent fighter plane engines from stalling during WWII.
- Dorothy Hodgkin: A Nobel Prize-winning chemist known for her work on the structure of insulin.
- Sophia Jex-Blake: A member of the ‘Edinburgh Seven’ who fought for women’s right to study medicine1.
- Katherine Johnson: A mathematician whose calculations were vital for NASA’s early space missions.
- Helen Gwynne-Vaughan: A botanist and commandant of the Women’s Royal Air Force.
- Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: An astronomer who discovered the composition of stars.
- Inge Lehmann: A seismologist who discovered the Earth has a solid inner core.
- Wally Funk: A pilot who trained as an astronaut and was part of the ‘Mercury 13’.
Essay Questions:
1. Choose one of the women mentioned in the summary and delve deeper into their life and scientific contributions. Discuss the specific challenges they faced due to their gender and how they overcame them. Analyze the significance of their work and its lasting impact on their respective field.
2. The summary states that many pioneering women in science haven’t received the same level of credit as their male counterparts. Discuss the historical and societal factors that contributed to this phenomenon. What are some ways we can address this disparity and ensure that women in science receive the recognition they deserve?