Smithsonian Lists Historical Women of Science
Dear friends of women in science,
Recently, Smithsonian posted 10 historical women in science, with a short biography of each one, here. I was reminded of our efforts a year ago to list five women in science and five men in science. I've posted a few biographical snippets between then and now, partly to help those of us who struggled to think up five women fast. This list doesn't include today's women, the Sheryl Sandbergs, the Bonnie Basslers, the Susan Forsburgs, but they do include women we should never forget: Emilie du Chatelet, Caroline Herschel, Mary Anning, Mary Somerville, Maria Mitchell, Lise Meitner, Irene Curie-Joliot, Barbara McClintock, Dorothy Hodgkin, and Rosalind Franklin. Marie Curie was mentioned in passing, as the one almost anyone could name. If any of these don't ring a bell, check out the paragraph about each one that Smithsonian included, and perhaps go further to learn more.
Now, who else should have been on that list? I'm sure some of you have favorite classic women in science. For me, Libby Hyman was inspiring with her early, careful biological studies. Ethel Brown Harvey was too, perhaps deserving the Nobel Prize awarded to Hans Spemann. I think Nettie Stevens discovered sex chromosomes. Also Esther Zimmer Lederberg, who worked with husband Joshua Lederberg and co-invented replica plating among other contributions. And we celebrated Lynn Margulis recently; she is younger than many of these women but started a whole field. Tell us who you'd like to add!
cheers,
Laura
Hi Beatrice,
Yes, I did hear about Hyman at Woods Hole, but also at Goucher. She went there as well. And I think you might be trying to recall Gertrude Elion and maybe Gerti Cory? Best,
Laura
Have to recommend Candace Pert, as a neuro person!
Maud Menten of Michaelis-Menten kinetics.
I'm flattered you include me, Laura.
I suggest Marguerite Vogt, an unsung heroine of mine.
Read more about her here: http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~forsburg/women/vogt.html
I'd recommend Dr. Jessie Bernard, a social scientist. You can read about her here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jessie_Bernard
Hi Laura,
I like Libbie Hyman too. I learned about her in Woods Hole, did you? I also think Rita Levi-Montalcini who discovered nerve growth factor should be on this list. Weren't there some other women Nobel laureates? I think Rosalyn Yalow? And another one I can't recall. I'll have to visit the Nobel Prize site now.
cheers,
Bea
Hi Laura,
Mary Somerville, I think, was the woman that Somerville College at Oxford was named after. I think it was a women's college, then went co-ed later on. She was a really famous astronomer and mathematician and kind of a Carl Sagan-like popularizer of science.
cheers,
CC
Hi Laura,
I like these lists; they always have at least one person I need to look up and learn about. This time it was the two Marys.
My favorite classical woman in science was Harriet Creighton, who worked with Barbara McClintock to show genes behaved just like the chromosomes' physical structures.
MRL
