Women In Science Through History – International Women’s Day 2017

By / March 8th, 2017 / There are currently 0 comments

At Gem Scientific 50% of our workforce is female, so on International Women’s Day we thought we’d take a look at some of the women who have shaped scientific history.

Hypatia

Hypatia was a mathematician, astonomer and philosopher in Alexandia and the earlier female mathematician whose life was well documented. Daughter of Theon of Alexandia, himself a mathematician and astronomer, Hypatia was a popular teacher and became head of the Neoplatonist School in Alexandia.

More information on Hypatia: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hypatia

 

Marie Curie

No list on women in science is complete without Marie Curie. Curie’s achievements were many including (but not limited to): two Nobel Prizes in different scientific fields (Physics and Chemistry), discovery of two elements (polonium and radium), development of the theory of radioactivity. Despite her success she faced great opposition from her male peers because she was a woman.
She died in 1934 from leukemia caused by high exposion to radiation duing her research.

Learn more about Marie Curie here: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/who/our-history/marie-curie-the-scientist

 

Mae Jemison

Dr. Mae C. Jemison is an american engineer, physican and NASA astronaut. She was the first African American woman in space when she went into orbit aboard the Endeavour in 1992.
During her time in space she conducted experiments as a co-investigator on the bone cell research experiment flown on the mission. Her historic flight has inspired women and minority communities around the world.

For more reading on Mae Jemison: http://www.space.com/17169-mae-jemison-biography.html

 

Despite these women, and many thousands of others today, pushing boundaries women still only make up a small percentage of workers in STEM fields.

For more information on women in STEM check out: http://www.womeninstem.co.uk/

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