The rarely known astronomer, Henrietta Leavitt made the discovery of the period-lumination relationship as well as a guideline for measuring the magnitude of stars. Although, these discoveries were monumental in the field of astronomy and became the foundations for many other discoveries, she is almost unknown, like many prominent women in the field of astronomy. This is because science, as both a study as well as a profession, is male dominated and women are not seen as equals or qualified to be in such work. In Leavitt's lifetime, she experienced this sexism in her post-graduate career along with her two major discoveries. Henrietta Leavitt was born in the state of Massachusetts in the year of 1868. Leavitt went to Oberlin College and then
In the beginning of chapter two, Skloot describes that Loretta Pleasant aka Henrietta Lacks was born on August 1, 1920 in Roanoke, Virginia. Henrietta’s mom passed away in 1924 after giving birth to her tenth child. Her dad took the children back to Clover, Virginia where the children were split up to live with ...
Rossiter, Margaret W. (1982). Women Scientists in America: Struggles and Strategies to 1940. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press
She graduated from Dunbar Junior High School, then went to Horace Mann High School, which at that time, was an all black school.
In his novel, Cantor's Dilemma, Dr. Djerassi uses female characters to address sexist issues arising from women integrating into the predominantly male science world. The characters, Celestine Price and Professor Arderly, are used to show examples of how women have little voice in the field of science. The female characters suggest how women are often looked upon as sex objects rather than co-workers and they are given little opportunity to balance a scientific career with raising a family. By weaving these issues into his novel, Dr. Djerassi illustrates the following theme: Discrimination against women in the field of science is harmful to the progression of scientific exploration. If women are excluded from science, then an artificial limit is put on human resources. (The field of science will not utilize the potential female minds available.)
Harriet was born in an orderly, federal-era town of Litchfield, Connecticut on June 14th 1811. She was the seventh child of Lyman and Roxana Beecher. Her family ran a boarding house during her childhood, which her father Lyman was constantly expanding to make room for is growing family and growing number of boarders. (Hendrick, 1994)
Boyle, Kay. "Astronomer's Wife." Responding to Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, and Essays. Fourth Edition. Ed. Judith A. Stanford. Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. 619-623.
Edie Windsor was born in Philadelphia in 1929. She was originally married to a man, but left him in 1950 to move to New York City by herself. Edie received her mathematics degree in 1957 from New York University. She worked in mathematics and computers with IBM. She
Bjornerud Marcia. "Gaia-Gender and Scientific Representations of the Earth [Part 1 of 2]" {Contemporary Women's Database} Sep. 1997: 96-106.
Rosalind Franklin: Seeing a woman as a scientist during this time is somewhat rare, so the fact that she has taken up this profession show that she is persistent, dedicated, and smart. The only problem is that she is undervalued because of her gender. She is also very quiet and reserved because she’s in a different country.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw the embryonic stage of women’s quest for intellectual and social parity with men. The evolution of women’s fight for equal opportunities was bogged down by a long history of stereotyping and condescension. Women were weaker physically, bore children and nurtured them. The economics and culture of Europe at this time was strongly influenced by religion and resulted in prejudice against women. The dominating religions of Europe in the 1600’s and 1700’s (Catholicism and Protestantism), citing the bible, reinforced women’s roles as mother’s, wives, and homemakers. Women were considered the weaker sex both physically and mentally. Men and most women assumed that because women gave birth and produced milk for their infants, God intended that their place was in the home. Men’s egos, as well, did not allow for women to compete with them. Males thought their place was to rule, fight wars, provide income, teach and be the head of his family. Women were not accepted in academics, politics, church leadership, business, or the military. Despite these prejudices, women saw an opportunity in the sciences. As a discipline based on observations and deductive reasoning it did not necessarily require a comprehensive academic background. Since most women were deprived of the more advanced education that men received, it was the perfect field for them to begin their pursuit of equality. As a result, a growing number of women actively participated in scientific research in chemistry, astronomy, biology, botany, medicine, and entomology.
Martha C. Chase was born in Cleveland, Ohio on November 30, 1927. In 1950, she received her bachelor of science from the College of Wooster and then continued schooling at the University of Southern California where she earned her Ph.D. in 1964. She was known for a little in the 1950s, as Martha Epstein since marrying Richard Epstein another scientist, but later divorced.
One of the most renowned scientists of the 1800’s and early 1900’s was Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer. He is known worldwide for his accomplishments and discoveries among researchers in the scientific field, particularly for the discovery of helium. Lockyer was fascinated with astronomy and wished to advance his growth of natural knowledge and spectroscopic researches. Being an imaginative analyst as well as an intelligent one placed him in high regard among explorers of modern science. From building his own observatory to being knighted, Lockyer was a valuable asset to astronomical study.
One of the most notable contributors to the field of astronomy, never actually worked a telescope. The unjust discrimination against women barred one of the most brilliant astronomers of the 20th century from ever actually viewing the stars she was studying. This did not pose a problem however, as Henrietta Swan Leavitt challenged these notions of female inferiority and ineptitude by entering the predominately male field of astrology and excelling. Henrietta Leavitt's prodigious discovery of the period-luminosity relationship amongst Cepheid variable stars would forever change the way we perceive the universe and known galaxies as well as lay the foundation for astronomers such as Harlow Shapley, Hertzsprung, and Edwin Hubble to expand our knowledge of the universe.
Smith, Michelle R. “Giving Female Scientists Their Due.” Philly.com. The Philadelphia Inquirer, 17 Oct. 2013. Web. 05 Mar. 2014.
Ogilvie, Marilyn Bailey. Women in Science: Antiquity through the Nineteenth Century. Cambridge (Mass.): MIT, 1988. Print.