Throughout history, women have made incredible contributions in the world of STEM, but not all of these incredible women have been recognized for their outstanding work. Women have been historically underrepresented in STEM fields, making these women’s accomplishments that much more important to remember. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, let’s look back on 10 Groundbreaking Women in STEM.
*This list is in no particular order.
1. Alice Ball (1892 – 1916):
Alice Ball was an African American woman who studied chemistry. Her prolific research helped create a treatment for the infectious disease leprosy that helped over 8,000 people. Before her treatment, there was no cure and no hope for people with leprosy.
2. Rosalind Franklin (1920 – 1958):
Every chemistry student knows the name Rosalind Franklin, since Franklin’s work in discovering the structure of DNA is one of the most astounding stories in genetics. Although she was not given the same kind of credit as the other scientists involved in this work, Franklin played a crucial role in the discovery of DNA’s structure.
3. Dorothy Hodgkin (1910 – 1994):
Dorothy Hodgkin was the third woman to receive the Nobel Prize for chemistry. She was awarded the prestigious award due to her work with x-ray crystallography, which helped determine complex molecular structures. In other words, she was able to determine the makeup of small molecules that composed organisms because of her research using x-ray technology.
4. Grace Hopper (1906 – 1992):
A U.S. Navy Admiral and doctor of mathematics, Grace Hopper was one of the pioneers of computer science. Hopper programmed early computers and formulated some of the first computer program languages. Her work helped bridge the gap between computer language and English, opening the door for future computer scientists to develop more sophisticated code that benefits us in our day-to-day lives.
5. Marie Curie (1867 – 1934):
Marie Curie is one of the most recognizable names in science history. She was on the forefront of understanding radioactive elements, discovering new elements and analyzing how radiation occurs in various elements. Curie’s work earned her two Nobel prizes, making her the first woman to receive the accolade, as well as the only person to receive two Nobel prizes in different scientific fields, one in chemistry and one in physics.
6. Vera Rubin (1928 – 2016):
As an observational astronomer, Vera Rubin performed key research in the discovery and understanding of the concept of dark matter. Being a woman posed difficulty to her, as much of her work was ignored early on in her career. However, her evidence for dark matter was so substantial that the scientific community eventually gave her the credit she deserved and now understand her to be one of the most successful astronomers in history.
7. Barbara McClintock (1902 – 1992):
Barbara McClintock earned her PhD in botany and went on to make discovery after discovery in the field of genetics. Her studies with maize helped discover mobility of certain genes, which explained crucial aspects of evolutionary processes. This ‘jumping genes’ discovery earned McClintock a Nobel prize.
8. Rachel Carson (1907 – 1964):
Before environmental activists of today’s age brought attention to the importance of our global environment, Rachel Carson made a splash through her environmental writing. Most of her work brought attention to dangerous pesticides and chemicals. Her book Silent Spring was revolutionary and sparked the nation’s interest in caring for the environment.
9. Gertrude B. Elion (1918 – 1999):
Gertrude B. Elion was awarded a Nobel prize for her incredible medical work that helped usher in a new era of effective treatments for prominent illnesses. Elion dedicated her life to seeking cures to deadly cancers and other illnesses. Because of her work, cancer research took bounds forward.
10. Maria Goeppert-Mayer (1906 – 1972):
The second woman to win the Nobel prize for physics, Maria Geoppert-Mayer was an incredible nuclear physicist with a drive for learning and understanding new things. She was awarded the Nobel prize for her discovery of Magic Numbers, a series of numbers corresponding to the number of electrons that fill electron shells. This discovery helped advance the world of nuclear physics to what we know today.
This list represents only a sample of the hundreds of women in STEM who have many significant discoveries and bettered the world through their work. Because of the women listed – and many others not included – we have the science, technology, engineering and mathematical skills needed to achieve great things in the future.