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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (March 11, 2016)
Street Roots • March 11-17, 2016 News Page 11 R.L.: How did you choose the 52 women you include in your book? R.W.: There are just so, so many scientists worth profiling! All the scientists needed to meet three conditions: One, they had to be dead. Two, they had to have made a concrete discovery or breakthrough. Three, there had to be enough information available so that I could tell a story about their lives and work. I didn’t want to go over the bullet points of a biography; I needed more. I certainly wasn’t able to write about all the scientists who met these criteria. And I missed others whose stories were not as well documented. R.L.: You decided not to profile iconic scientist Marie Curie, but you note that she inspired others. Are there one or two stories you enjoyed about how Curie or other women inspired younger scientists? Rachel Swaby profiles 52 women who advanced science and changed history BY ROBIN LINDLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER emale scientists are responsible for some of the most significant discoveries in history, often despite sexism and marginalization in male- dominated disciplines. Many of these strong-willed women faced discouragement and blatant discrimination that excluded them from educational opportunities, academic positions, living-wage jobs and professional acknowledgement. Some of these women were mocked or overlooked. Trailblazing physician Mary Putnam Jacobi was admitted to France’s École de Médecine in the 1860s on the condition that she “maintain a buffer of empty seats around her at all times.” Male colleagues stole the research of geneticist Rosalind Franklin on DNA structure. And the successes of female scientists were often either attributed to male colleagues or completely dismissed. But these female explorers and creators persisted despite numerous obstacles. With a few exceptions — such as physicist and chemist Madame Curie, astronaut and astrophysicist Sally Ride, and iconic nurse Florence Nightingale — most of these brilliant scientists are not household names, despite their important contributions. This includes women like physician Helen Taussig, a pioneer of pediatric cardiology; astronomer Maria Mitchell, first American discoverer of a comet; American chemist Stephanie Kwolek, inventor of Kevlar; German mathematician Emma Noether, a founder of abstract algebra; and British paleontologist Mary Anning, early discoverer of a plesiosaur and a pterodactyl. Author Rachel Swaby provides a timely corrective to the record with accounts of these women and many more. In her inspiring and illuminating new book E “Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science — and the World,” she introduces some of the great and often underappreciated or forgotten minds of science. The book serves as a valuable reference for young readers and offers inspiration, particularly for girls and women interested in careers in science and technology. The book also provides a springboard for further research on these women scientists and their prominent research and innovations. Rachel Swaby is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in Runner’s World, Wired, 0: The Oprah Magazine, NewYorker.com, and Afar. Robin Lindley: How did you come to write about the women scientists in “Headstrong”? Did your new book grow out of your previous writing or research or personal experience? Rachel Swaby: In 2013, The New York Times^ran an obituary for Yvonne Brill. Brill was a rocket scientist. She won the National Medal of Technology and Innovation in 2011 and designed a propulsion system that keeps satellites in orbit. And yet, the first paragraph of her obituary in the Times went like this: “She made a mean beef Stroganoff, followed her husband from job to job and took eight years off from work to raise three children. ‘The world’s best mom,’ her son Matthew said.” Only in the second paragraph did the obit note that she “was also a brilliant rocket scientist.” Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed about how she was treated, as were many others. The article was later amended. But for me, the lasting impact was that we needed better profiles of women in science — and more of them. R.L.: You focus on the accomplishments of women scientists. Do you have a background in science? R.W.: Gertrude Belle Elion looked up to Marie Curie. Ellen Swallow Richards was inspired by her astronomy teacher Maria Mitchell. Chien-Shiung Wu greatly admired Lise Meitner. I saw this over and over. Many great scientists were inspired by other women who worked before them. Yvonne Brill dedicated years of her life to helping other women engineers gain recognition. Ameba Earhart’s extraordinary flight inspired Brill to follow her own dreams. R.L.: You include several celebrated women who may not be widely known for their contributions to science. For example, actress Hedy Lamarr’s story may surprise some. What did she do? R.W.: I don’t! Tloved science as a kid and then decided in high school that I wasn’t good at it. I went on to get an English major. My first magazine job was at Wired. R.W.: She designed a frequency-hopping Wired publishes so communication many fascinating system that was science stories. They supposed to make it quickly became my easier to guide favorite stories to read In 2013, The New York Times torpedoes. Although ran an obituary for Yvonne and write. the technology Brill. Brill was a rocket sci wasn’t adopted R.L.: Did you write entist. She won the National during World War II, this book to encourage Medal of Technology and as she initially more girls and women Innovation in 2011 and de intended it to be, to study science and signed a propulsion system that the idea was later technology? wrapped into keeps satellites in orbit. And technologies like R.W.: I would love it yet, the first paragraph of her Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. if that were the obituary in the Times went like outcome. But my this: "She made a mean beef R.L.: You also initial goal was a bit include renowned Stroganoff ..." more broad. I wanted nurse Florence the great work of Nightingale, but not these scientists to be in the medicine recognized. I hope that category. How do you see her contributions? one day we can speak as easily about Chien- Shiung Wu and her work disproving a law of R.W.: She certainly had a huge and physics as we can about the man who made important impact on nursing and medicine. it. No doubt about that. But the way she used If we all talk about women’s contributions data, statistics and infographics was also so to STEM (science, technology, engineering important for public health and what we and mathematics) fields more regularly, now call evidence-based medicine. I wanted we’ll help the next generation of women to make the point that these fields are interested in STEM fields see that there’s a connected. You can be a mathematician and place for them. So yes, I hope it’s a source make a really big impact on medicine and of inspiration, but I also hope, for all our health. sakes, that we’re able to talk about the incredible scientific accomplishments of R.L.: I have a special interest in the history women as easily as we’re able to name the of medicine, and especially neuroscience. Can accomplishments of men. See WOMEN, page 12
