The STEM fields have been plagued by gender biases excluding women and girls from learning sciences for years.
From ancient Chinese medicine that saved millions of malaria-impacted lives to the first mobile X-ray units helping wounded soldiers, these are the stories of brilliant minds.
For centuries, women have made significant contributions to the field of science. They’ve discovered life-saving remedies, devised world-altering inventions, and produced far-reaching research, but in many cases their invaluable advances are minimized or neglected.
For too long, the STEM fields have been shaped by gender biases that exclude women and girls, past, present, and future. Unequal access to education, technologies, and leadership positions have steered countless bright female minds away from STEM careers and stalled their progress.
Despite the setbacks, creative and tenacious women and girls are pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge and seeking solutions to complex global challenges every day. Their work has changed the way we see our world, and their stories deserve to be told, and retold.
The scientific breakthroughs we get reflect those who make them. The gender gap in science, technology and innovation translates to missed talent, untapped discoveries and biased solutions.
Here are just seven women scientists you need to know and celebrate.
