As a woman pursuing a STEM field, I enjoyed Dr. Breitenberger’s lecture on women in science. I’m very interested in space and astronomy, so I had heard of William Herschel, but not his sister, Caroline. I wish I had learned about her sooner because when I first got interested in these areas, I saw that most of the well-known astronomers in history were men. Though I had plenty of modern-day women to look up to as role models, I wish I had known about the female scientists in history. Revisiting the obstacles they faced made me more appreciative of the position I am in today, where I can pursue science and engineering without anyone questioning my credibility or taking my work. Some issues these historical female scientists faced still exist today, but it is because of their efforts that I am able to pursue these goals freely today.
I really appreciate your comments. It would be interesting to run history back and know just how much pioneering women scientists did to push female equality forward. After all, only after some of their success was it possible for men to realize that women could equal men in intelligence, perseverance, and accomplishment.