Who are history’s greatest scientists? There’s a considerable chance that Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, or other well-known figures come to mind. These researchers made outstanding discoveries that altered our perception of the universe. But too frequently, women are left off the list despite the fact that they have historically made important advances in science, especially during times when females were not allowed to pursue official education or employment in the area. The historical shadow cast by female scientists has just recently been lifted.
We wanted to take a moment to recognize people who are STEM superstars of the past and present in the midst of an international campaign to increase the number of girls interested in science, engineering, technology, and math.
Here are the top 10 women in science:
1. Katherine Johnson (Mathematician)
One of the first Black women to serve as NASA scientists was Katherine Johnson, a Black mathematician. She calculated and examined the NASA spacecraft’s flight routes as a mathematician. Her calculations enabled the first Americans to leave Earth’s orbit and land on the moon, for which she is most known. “Hidden Figures,” a 2016 film, details Johnson’s life and career at NASA.
2. Marie Curie (Physicist and Chemist)
Scientist and chemist Marie Curie carried out important studies on radioactivity. Radium and polonium are two brand-new chemical elements that she found. The initial study on the effects of radiation therapy on cancers was led by Curie. She served as the director of the Curie Institute, formerly known as the Radium Institute, a renowned cancer research and radiation therapy centre in Paris, France. She was the first and only woman to receive two Nobel Prizes. The only individual to receive the Nobel Prize in both physics and chemistry is Curie.
3. Valentina Tereshkova (Engineer)
Engineer, current member of the Russian State Duma, and former Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, she was the first woman to enter space on June 13, 1963. In just three days, she completed 48 orbits of the planet. Later, she worked for the Communist Party and attended various international gatherings as the USSR’s representative. The only woman to have completed a solo space trip is Tereshkova.
4. Chien-Shiung Wu (Physicist)
A notable figure and innovator in the realm of physics, Chien-Shiung Wu, a Chinese immigrant to the US, was the first woman employed as a faculty member in the Princeton University physics department. Later, she accepted a position at Columbia University and took part in the Matthan Project, which led to the development of nuclear weapons. The Wu experiment, which she carried out and which demonstrated that similar particles do not always act in the same way, is best known for her. She earned the title of “First Lady of Physics” after receiving the first Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978.
5. Rosalind Franklin (Chemist)
Chemist Rosalind Franklin was from the UK. She is best recognized for figuring out how molecules like DNA, RNA, viruses, coal, and graphite are put together. She demonstrated the helical form of DNA using a method called X-ray crystallography. Rosalind had a significant influence on science, yet her efforts and accomplishments are still infrequently recognized. The discovery of the structure of DNA is still most frequently attributed to two men, James Watson and Francis Crick.
6. Sally Ride (Astronaut and Mathematician)
Sally Ride had a significant role in establishing professional and educational options in science and mathematics for women and girls. She was the first American woman in space as an astronaut in 1983. Her responsibility was to operate the robotic arm, which she used to launch satellites, during NASA’s second and third Space Shuttle flights. She developed NASA’s EarthKam Project after she left NASA, giving students the chance to snap images of the Earth and subsequently examine them. She was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2003.
7. Mae Jemison (Doctor, Engineer, and Former Nasa Astronaut)
Mae Jemison is a former NASA astronaut, engineer, and doctor. She was the first Black woman to enter space in 1992. Jemison is a scientific expert in a variety of subjects. She has written multiple books and even made an appearance on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Both the International Space Hall of Fame and the National Women’s Hall of Fame inducted her. She is currently the project manager for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s 100 Year Starship Project. The goal of this research is to make it possible for humans to reach another star within the next 100 years.
8. Elizabeth Garret Enderson (Doctor)
In Britain, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson cleared the road for women to practice medicine. At a time when women were not permitted to practice medicine, she surmounted considerable obstacles to become the country’s first female doctor. She established a female-only medical school and appointed a majority of female employees to executive positions. She finally rose to become England’s first female mayor and the first female head of a medical school.
9. Tiera Guinn
Tiera Guinn, a scientist who is only 21 years old, is literally performing rocket science even though she has not yet received her college degree. According to WBRC News, the MIT senior is working on one of the biggest and most potent rockets ever produced for NASA. She is a 5.0 GPA aerospace major who also works as a rocket structural design and analysis engineer for NASA’s Space Launch System, which is being built by aerospace giant Boeing.
You can’t let anyone get in the way of your dream, she advised, therefore you must look forward to it. “You have to keep moving forward no matter how difficult it may be or how many tears you may cry. And you must realize that nothing worthwhile ever comes easily. You can succeed if you keep your eyes on the goal.”
10. Marie-Ann Paulze Lavoisier (Chemist)
The mother of modern chemistry is considered as Marie-Ann Paulze Lavoisier. She worked as his lab assistant and made contributions to his work as the wife of the chemist and aristocrat Antonie Lavoisier. She assisted in preparing various scientific publications for her husband to study. She was fluent in Latin, English, and French. Through Lavoisier’s translation, oxygen gas was discovered. She also contributed to the scientific method’s standardization.
Many institutions and colleges today work to provide opportunities for women in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Institutions are now aware that in order to secure women’s success in science, they must offer the appropriate mentoring and support. But in order to help women in STEM develop, it’s important to remember and celebrate the historical contributions made by women to science.
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