Women in Science – Savannah Moore

I found this discussion of women in science to be very exciting. I thought it was interesting how many women got a start by helping with their husband’s work. Women were seen as supporters, not necessarily the main masterminds behind new scientific revelations. During the 19th century, women held a social position where they were excluded from professional space and organizations. For this reason, women were rarely members of the Royal Society and also were studying certain “field work” in things like astronomy or biology.

Many English and French women broke through barriers that had been set for them and other women. Out of the English women discussed, I connected with Margaret Carendish. She focused on the philosophy of science and had strong feelings regarding to the supernatural vs. natural side of science. I like how she focused on the idea of everything being made of something and is here, but supernatural things are not. However, it is possible to believe in both supernatural and natural, but I believe she meant more of the idea that natural science was not as dependent on religious factors as some people had suggested.

For the French women, I have always admired Marie Curie. Not only was she the first women to receive a Nobel Prize, she received 2 in her life. She discovered radioactivity and the purification of radium, which have led to many more things to be competed in science. She also gave the science community another contributor, her daughter, who discovered new isotopes and also won a Nobel Prize.

Overall, I always enjoy learning more about women in science. I think that even today women face a stigma of how much they can contribute to science. It is important to know that women aren’t just a helping hand, they can be main factors to important scientific discoveries. All of the women we discussed were perfect examples of this. I am excited to explore some of these ideas even farther when traveling.