Role models we need: Honoring pioneer women in the sciences
Barbara McClintock / Alamy Stock Photo
“I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail.” Muriel Strode
It takes a special kind of person to go where no one has gone before and withstand all manner of challenge and resistance along the way. That was the case for the first women to pursue studies and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). In honor of Ada Lovelace Day, which is held every year on the second Tuesday of October to celebrate the achievements of women in STEM, we would like to recognize and highlight women scientists from the United States who opened the door for many young women and girls to follow in their footsteps.
Many of these early pioneers would have remained unknown or largely ignored were it not for the effort of Margaret Rossiter, whose study on Women Scientists in America brought to light hundreds of forgotten contributions. As a graduate student of science history at Yale in 1969, she had witnessed first-hand the lack of awareness of any women scientists in the minds of her male colleagues and professors. Her revolutionary research in the decades since has helped pave the way for a new generation of women scientists, now with role models to follow, and raised awareness about existing prejudices and barriers faced by women in STEM fields.
Barbara McClintock (1902-1992) was the first woman to be awarded an unshared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1983 for her work in genetics, specifically on the hereditary characteristics of corn in Central and South America. Although it took several decades for the value of her research in the 1940s and 1950s to be recognized, eventually she was honored with numerous awards, including the Nobel Prize. Her legacy lives on through the McClintock Prize that was established in 2013.
Grace Murray Hopper (1906-1992) was a brilliant mathematician and computer scientist who led the team that created the first computer language compiler, which allowed data processors to write their programs in English rather than complicated symbols. This led to the development of COBOL, a computer programming language for business that is still used today. In addition, Hopper was one of the longest-serving officers in the US Navy and became one of only a handful of female admirals in 1985.
Marie Maynard Daly / Alamy Stock Photo
As the first African-American woman to earn a PhD in chemistry, Marie Maynard Daly (1921-2003) was a trailblazer for women of color in her field. She was inspired by her father, who had intended to become a chemist but lacked the funds to complete his studies, and earned her doctorate degree from Columbia University in 1947. Her research as a biochemist established a link between cholesterol and clogged arteries and she was also an early investigator of the effects of cigarette smoking on the lungs. In addition to her research, Daly was also an associate professor and she established a scholarship for minority students who wanted to study science.
Nothing would dissuade Nancy Grace Roman (1925-2018) from following her passion for astronomy. Graduating with a doctorate from the University of Chicago in 1949, she became one of the first women scientists to join NASA, just six months after the agency had been established. Today she is remembered as the “mother of the Hubble” for her instrumental work to create the Hubble Space Telescope. Roman advocated for women in the sciences throughout her life, and left a generous bequest to the American Association of University Women for the purpose of supporting young women in STEM.
Not only did these remarkable women leaders all contribute to scientific advancement in their own fields of interest, but they also actively supported young women and girls in a true example of leading with heart and care for others. We hope that as WFWP women leaders in many different fields, from science to education to business, we can be role models for others and pave the way for the next generation.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Shirley Chimes for inspiring this article, based on a report she recommended that was published by the Smithsonian Magazine.