Women of Science: More Women in Science

Narrating the well-lived life of the “Chinese Madame Curie” — a recipient of the first Wolf Prize in Physics (1978), the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from Princeton University, as well as the first female president of the American Physical Society — this book provides a comprehensive and honest account of the life of Dr Wu Chien-Shiung, an outstanding and leading experimental physicist of the 20th century.

Since 1901 there have been over three hundred recipients of the Nobel Prize in the sciences. Only ten of them -- about 3 percent -- have been women. Why? In this updated version of Nobel Prize Women in Science, Sharon Bertsch McGrayne explores the reasons for this astonishing disparity by examining the lives and achievements of fifteen women scientists who either won a Nobel Prize or played a crucial role in a Nobel Prize - winning project. The book reveals the relentless discrimination these women faced both as students and as researchers. Their success was due to the fact that they were passionately in love with science. The book begins with Marie Curie, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in physics. Readers are then introduced to Christiane Nusslein-Volhard, Emmy Noether, Lise Meitner, Barbara McClintock, Chien-Shiung Wu, and Rosalind Franklin. These and other remarkable women portrayed here struggled against gender discrimination, raised families, and became political and religious leaders. They were mountain climbers, musicians, seamstresses, and gourmet cooks. Above all, they were strong, joyful women in love with discovery. Nobel Prize Women in Science is a startling and revealing look into the history of science and the critical and inspiring role that women have played in the drama of scientific progress.

Fifty-two inspiring and insightful profiles of history's brightest female scientists. In 2013, the New York Times published an obituary for Yvonne Brill. It began: "She made a mean beef stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job, and took eight years off from work to raise three children." It wasn't until the second paragraph that readers discovered why the Times had devoted several hundred words to her life: Brill was a brilliant rocket scientist who invented a propulsion system to keep communications satellites in orbit, and had recently been awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Among the questions the obituary--and consequent outcry--prompted were, Who are the role models for today's female scientists, and where can we find the stories that cast them in their true light?       Headstrong delivers a powerful, global, and engaging response. Covering Nobel Prize winners and major innovators, as well as lesser-known but hugely significant scientists who influence our every day, Rachel Swaby's vibrant profiles span centuries of courageous thinkers and illustrate how each one's ideas developed, from their first moment of scientific engagement through the research and discovery for which they're best known. This fascinating tour reveals 52 women at their best--while encouraging and inspiring a new generation of girls to put on their lab coats.

Read an interview with the author: "Working Toward Gender Parity in the Geosciences" The geoscience workforce has a lower proportion of women compared to the general population of the United States and compared to many other STEM fields. This volume explores issues pertaining to gender parity in the geosciences, and sheds light on some of the best practices that increase participation by women and promote parity. Volume highlights include: * Lessons learned from NSF-ADVANCE * Data on gender composition of faculty at top earth science institutions in the US * Implicit bias and gender as a social structure * Strategies for institutional change * Dual career couples * Family friendly policies * Role of mentoring * Career advancement for women * Recruiting diverse faculty * Models of institutional transformation Women in the Geosciences is a valuable contribution to the existing literature on gender issues in STEM disciplines. It focuses specifically on the geosciences, with a goal to spreading awareness on the best practices for gender parity in academic geoscience departments. Geoscientists, policymakers, educators and administrators could all greatly benefit from the contents of this volume.

Why are the fields of science and technology still considered to be the preserve of men? This work moves beyond the common explanations to give historical context and unexpected revelations about women's contributions to the sciences. Exploring the lives of Jane Goodall, Rosalind Franklin and the women of the Manhattan Project among many others, Des Jardins considers their personal stories in relation to their male counterparts to demonstrate how the gendered culture of science molds the methods and experience of the work.

A collection of personal stories of the few women scientists who have achieved the honour of election to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences. Including several Nobel laureates, the career profiles and personal interviews have much to say to those struggling to overcome obstacles. From their passionate love of research to their struggle to balance the demands of home and career, the women share a great deal. At the same time, the portraits offer different insights about how being female has affected their careers.