6 Famous Women Scientists and Their Contributions to Science (That Changed the World)

When we talk about famous women scientists many of us first think of Marie Curie, but there have been many more remarkable women in this field.

Although for centuries science has been a subject mainly dominated by men, on inspection it would appear that women have been making some big impacts and contributions to science throughout time.

The following list of famous women scientists may surprise you.

#1 Hypatia of Alexandria – (AD 370 – 415 approx.)

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If you don’t know your algebra from your wonder bra then check out this philosopher who not only taught philosophy and astronomy but was the first well documented women in the field of mathematics who revolutionized geometry.

She was the head of the Platonist school at Alexandria, Egypt, and invented the hydrometer and the hydroscope.

Hypatia did not adorn the usual clothing of women of her time but instead dressed in the clothing of a scholar, she also moved about freely and drove her own chariot, She is known to have had considerable political influence.

Unfortunately she was to come to a sticky end and was brutally murdered by a Christian mob as a result of her role in a feud between the then Governor of Alexandria and the Bishop of Alexandria

#2 Ada Byron (Countess of Lovelace) – (December 10, 1815 to November 27, 1852)

Does the name Byron ring a bell? It should, this famous women scientist was the only legitimate daughter of the famous English poet Lord Byron.

She was the first computer scientist and computer programmer who even had a computer language named after her;’Ada’.

Known mainly for her work on Charles Babbage’s early computer, this ‘poet of science’ was also interested in the workings of the brain and wanted to work on a mathematical model of how the brain works with the nervous system.

Unfortunately, she never furthered this work as she died at the young age of 36 from uterine cancer.

#3 Rachel Carson – (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964)

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This famous women scientist was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose work is credited as advancing the global environmental movement.

She was a huge nature lover and challenged the use of pesticides in modern agriculture and was in effect one of the first modern day environmentalists.

She wrote several books about the biography of the ocean, but it was her book ’Silent Spring’ in which she challenged the use of chemical pesticides and called for a change in the way we viewed the natural world, which was her most well-known and controversial work..

Her work and legacy have gone on to inspire many others in the protection of the natural world.

#4 Shirley Ann Jackson – (born August 5, 1946)

Shirley Ann Jackson is the first African American woman to earn a Doctorate from MIT in nuclear physics

Described by Time Magazine (2005) as “perhaps the ultimate role model for women in science,” Jackson has spent her remarkable career teaching and researching particle physics

She is currently the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and was the former head of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

She told her mother at the age of 4 that one day she would be called ’Shirley the Great’ and it would appear that her prediction has come true.

She is one of the most respected authorities promoting the need for more people, especially colored women, to take an interest in the STEM disciplines; namely Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

In spring 2007 she was awarded the Vannevar Bush Award for “a lifetime of achievements in scientific research, education and senior statesman-like contributions to public policy”.

#5 Jane Goodall DBE – (Born April 3, 1934)

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Jane Goodall is a world famous primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist who is most well known for her work with primates and her 45 year study on the wild chimpanzees of Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania.

She is founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and even today continues to work tirelessly on conservation and animal welfare issues.

Her work with the chimpanzees of Tanzania changed the way the world viewed the activities of primates and heralded a new thinking in their conservation.

She is a devoted vegetarian and animal rights activist as well as being an inspiration to many.

This famous woman scientist has received many awards for her work and is also a UN Messenger of Peace

#6 Elisabeth Blackwell – (February 3, 1821 to May 31, 1910)

Elizabeth Blackwell was a famous woman scientist who was not only the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States, but she was also the first woman on the UK Medical Register.

She entered medicine partly due to the request of a dying friend; her friend believing that a female physician would make her treatment more comfortable. Furthermore Blackwell wanted an independent life where she did not have to rely on a man.

She was a pioneer in promoting woman in medicine and clearly her reach crossed the Atlantic.

She also co-founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children and wrote several books on the issue of women in medicine.

The list above covers just a few of the remarkable women in science who have, and continue to make a huge contribution to science. There are of course many more whose achievements continue to inspire women around the world. Will you be next on the list?

Cover photo: http://www.rpi.edu/

About the author

Eleanor Goold

As well as being an avid reader, Eleanor is also a big time animal lover; especially of dogs. If you have a tail, four legs and you bark…. you’re in! In her spare time she enjoys swimming, and vegetable gardening… but not at the same time (it can get a bit messy).

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