In the summer of 1938, botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter set off to run the Colorado River with an ambitious expedition leader, a zoologist, and two amateur boatmen. With its churning waters and treacherous boulders, the Colorado was famed as the most dangerous river in the world. Journalists and veteran river runners boldly proclaimed that the motley crew would never make it out alive. However, Clover and Jotter were determined to be the first to survey the plant life of the Grand Canyon. Science journalist Melissa L. Sevigny traces their daring forty-three-day journey through the two women’s letters and diaries in which they meticulously cataloged the thorny plants that thrived in the Grand Canyon's secret nooks and crannies. Along the way, they chased a runaway boat, ran the river's most fearsome rapids, and turned the harshest critic of female river runners into an ally. Clover and Jotter's plant list, including four new cactus species, would one day become vital for efforts to protect and restore the river ecosystem. Brave the Wild River is a spellbinding adventure of two women who risked their lives to make an unprecedented botanical survey of a defining landscape in the American West.

A powerful memoir from Katalin Karikó, winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, whose decades-long research led to the COVID-19 vaccines. Karikó grew up in an adobe home in postwar communist Hungary; her family had no running water and grew their own vegetables. She was determined to become a scientist and later immigrated to the United States. Karikó worked in obscurity, battled cockroaches in a windowless lab, and faced outright derision and deportation threats from her bosses and colleagues. Despite setbacks, she never wavered in her belief that a molecule called messenger RNA could change the world. Karikó believed someday mRNA would change ordinary cells into tiny factories capable of producing their own medicines on demand. Karikó's three-decade-long investigation into mRNA would lead to the development vaccines that protected millions of people from the most dire consequences of COVID-19. Today, the medical community eagerly awaits more mRNA vaccines--for the flu, HIV, and other emerging infectious diseases. Breaking Through isn't just the story of an extraordinary woman. It's an indictment of closed-minded thinking and a testament to one woman's commitment to laboring intensely in obscurity because she believed her work would save lives.

Equity for Women in Science, the first large-scale empirical analysis of the global gender gap in science, provides strong evidence that the structures of scientific production and reward impede women's career advancement. To make their case, Cassidy R. Sugimoto and Vincent Larivière have conducted analyses using millions of published papers across disciplines. The analysis shows that women are systematically denied the chief currencies of scientific credit: publications and citations. Collaboration increases disparities, with women unlikely to land leadership positions or gain access to global networks. Their findings are unequivocal: when published, men are positioned as key contributors, and women are relegated to low-visibility technical roles. The intersecting disparities in labor, reward, and resources contribute to cumulative disadvantages for the advancement of women in science. Alongside their eye-opening analyses, Sugimoto and Larivière offer solutions. The data points the way, showing where existing institutions fall short. A fair and equitable research ecosystem is possible, but the scientific community must first disrupt its own patterns of gatekeeping.

A New York Times Notable Book! As late as 1999, women who succeeded in science were called "exceptional" as if it were unusual for them to be bright. They were exceptional, not because they could succeed at science, but because of all they accomplished despite the hurdles. In 1963, a female student was attending a lecture given by Nobel Prize winner James Watson. At nineteen, she was struggling to define her future. She had given herself just ten years to fulfill her professional ambitions before starting the family she was expected to have. For women at that time, a future on the usual path of academic science was unimaginable--but during that lecture, young Nancy Hopkins fell in love with the promise of genetics. In 1999, Hopkins, now a noted molecular geneticist and cancer researcher at MIT, found herself underpaid and denied the credit and resources given to men of lesser rank. Galvanized by the flagrant favoritism, Hopkins led a group of sixteen women on the faculty in a campaign that prompted MIT to make the historic admission that it had long discriminated against its female scientists. These women’s work advanced our understanding of many subjects, including cancer, geology, fossil fuels, and the inner workings of the human brain. Additionally, their work to highlight what they called "21st-century discrimination"--a subtle and often unconscious bias--set off a national reckoning with the pervasive sexism in science. From the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who broke the story, The Exceptions chronicles groundbreaking science and a history-making fight for equal opportunity. It is the "excellent and infuriating" (The New York Times) story of how this group of brilliant women used the power of the collective and the tools of science to inspire ongoing radical change along with a rare glimpse into the competitive, hierarchical world of elite science--and the women who dared to challenge it.

Women, from the ancient world to the present, have been critical to the progress of science, yet their importance is overlooked and their stories are lost, distorted, or actively suppressed. Forces of Nature sets the record straight and charts the fascinating history of women's discoveries in science. This richly illustrated book contains over 20 essays exploring how women have created space for themselves in science, technology, medicine, mathematics, theology, and more.

Historian Catherine McNeur uncovers the lives and work of Margaretta Hare Morris and Elizabeth Carrington Morris, sisters and scientists in early America. Margaretta, an entomologist, was famous among her peers and the public for her research on seventeen-year cicadas and other troublesome insects. Elizabeth, a botanist, was a prolific illustrator and a trusted supplier of specimens to the country's leading experts. Together, their discoveries helped fuel the growth and professionalization of science in America. However, these very developments confined women in science to underpaid and underappreciated roles for generations to follow and erased the Morris sisters' contributions along the way. Mischievous Creatures is an indelible portrait of two unsung pioneers while placing women firmly at the center of the birth of American science.

Why are girls discouraged from doing science? Why do so many promising women leave science in early and mid-career? Why do women not prosper in the scientific workforce? Not Just For the Boys looks back at how society has historically excluded women from the scientific sphere and discourse, what progress has been made, and how more is still needed. Athene Donald, a distinguished physicist, explores societal expectations during both childhood and working life using evidence of the systemic disadvantages under which women operate. These range from the developing science of how our brains are--and more importantly aren't--gendered to the social science evidence around attitudes towards girls and women doing science. It also discusses how science is done in practice to dispel common myths: for example, the perception that science is not creative, or that it is carried out by a lone genius in an ivory tower. A better appreciation of the collaborative, creative, and multi-disciplinary nature of science is likely to lead to its appeal to a far wider swathe of people, especially women. This book examines the modern way of working in scientific research and how gender bias operates in various ways within it. It draws on the voices of leading women in science describing their feelings and experiences and argues the moral and business case for greater diversity in modern research to better improve science and tackle the great challenges we face today.

This is the remarkable true story of America's first women astronauts; six extraordinary women who made history going to orbit aboard NASA's Space Shuttle. When NASA sent astronauts to the moon in the 1960s and 1970s, the agency excluded women from the corps, arguing that only military test pilots--a group then made up exclusively of men--had "the right stuff." It was an era in which women were steered away from jobs in science and deemed unqualified for space flight. Eventually, NASA recognized its blunder and opened the application process to a wider array of hopefuls, regardless of race or gender. From a candidate pool of 8,000, six women were selected in 1978--Sally Ride, Judy Resnik, Anna Fisher, Kathy Sullivan, Shannon Lucid, and Rhea Seddon. In The Six, acclaimed journalist Loren Grush shows these brilliant and courageous women enduring claustrophobic--and sometimes deeply sexist--media attention, undergoing rigorous survival training, and preparing for years to take multi-million-dollar payloads into orbit. Together, the Six helped build the tools that made the space program run.

Black women physicians' stories have gone untold for far too long, leaving gaping holes in American medical history, in women's history, and in Black history. No real account of Black women physicians in the US exists, and what little mention is made in existing histories is often insubstantial or altogether incorrect. In this work of extensive research, Jasmine Brown offers a rich new perspective on the long-erased stories of nine pioneering Black women physicians beginning with the first Black woman who entered medical school in 1860. Brown tells these doctors’ stories from the perspective of a Black woman in medicine. Her journey as a medical student already has parallels to those of Black women who entered medicine generations before her. What she uncovers about these women's struggles, their need to work twice as hard and be twice as good, and their ultimate success serves as instruction and inspiration for new generations considering a career in medicine or science.

Wangari Maathai, the winner of the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize and a single mother of three, recounts her extraordinary life as a political activist, feminist, and environmentalist in Kenya. Born in a rural village in 1940, Wangari Maathai was determined to get an education even though most girls there were uneducated. She describes her time studying with Catholic missionaries, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in the United States, and becoming the first woman to earn a PhD in East or Central Africa and to head a university department in Kenya. In 1977, she established the Green Belt Movement, which spread from Kenya and across Africa; the Green Belt Movement helps restore indigenous forests by paying rural women to plant trees in their villages. Maathai's extraordinary courage and determination helped transform Kenya's government into the democracy in which she now serves as assistant minister for the environment and as a member of Parliament. In "Unbowed", Wangari Maathai offers an inspiriting message of hope and prosperity through self-sufficiency.

On March 14, 1889, Susan La Flesche Picotte received her medical degree--becoming the first Native American doctor in U.S. history. She earned her degree thirty-one years before women could vote and thirty-five years before Native Americans could become citizens in their own country. She became her tribe’s doctor at age 26. Overnight, she acquired 1,244 patients scattered across 1,350 square miles of rolling countryside with few roads. Her patients often were desperately poor as well as desperately sick, and families were scattered miles apart. This is the story of a Native American woman who effectively became the chief of an entrenched patriarchal tribe who crashed through thick walls of ethnic, racial, and gender prejudice and then spent the rest of her life using her unique bicultural identity to improve the lot of her people--physically, emotionally, politically, and spiritually.

Tech industry jobs are growing fast, offering great pay, career growth, and learning opportunities. Women of color, sadly, have not been able to fully participate in this boom. There are many misconceptions about the tech industry, and they often discourage women of color from pursuing or remaining in tech careers. In reality, tech career opportunities can be diverse, fun, and incredibly dynamic. While there are barriers to overcome, Women of Color in Tech is an indispensable resource for building a rewarding future in tech. Packed with inspiring stories and practical advice, this book shows you how to uncover the resources you need to succeed.

A shortage of women in various fields of the sciences persists, due in large part to social conditioning, lack of support, and outright prejudice. Increasing the visibility and success of female scientists is key to breaking down these outdated stereotypes. Young women with an interest in science will find vital information about internships, careers, resources, and support networks to help them achieve their goals. Female role models in medicine, zoology, ecology, astronomy, and more are profiled. Readers who have a natural curiosity about the world around them will be inspired to make a difference by pursuing a career in the sciences.

Changing the Equation is a celebratory and inspiring look at some of the most important Black women in STEM. Coretta Scott King Honor author Tonya Bolden describes Black women who have changed the world of STEM in America; they include groundbreaking computer scientists, doctors, inventors, physicists, pharmacists, mathematicians, aviators, and more. In these profiles, young readers will find role models, inspiration, and maybe even reasons to be the STEM leaders of tomorrow. The book includes full-color and archival images, endnotes, a bibliography, and an index.

The fascinating, little-known story of how two brilliant female physicists' groundbreaking discoveries led to the creation of the atomic bomb. In 1934, Irène Curie, working with her husband and fellow scientist, Frederic Joliot, made a discovery that would change the world: artificial radioactivity. This breakthrough allowed scientists to modify elements and create new ones by altering the structure of atoms. Curie shared a Nobel Prize with her husband for their work. But when she was nominated to the French Academy of Sciences, the academy denied her admission and voted to disqualify all women from membership. Four years later, Curie's breakthrough led physicist Lise Meitner to a brilliant leap of understanding that unlocked the secret of nuclear fission. Meitner's unique insight was critical to the revolution in science that led to nuclear energy and the race to build the atom bomb, yet her achievement was left unrecognized by the Nobel committee in favor of that of her male colleague. Radioactive! presents the story of two women breaking ground in a male-dominated field, while still largely unknown despite their crucial contributions to cutting-edge research, in a nonfiction narrative that reads with the suspense of a thriller. Photographs and sidebars illuminate and clarify the science in the book.

Women scientists are not new, but they haven't always gotten credit for being so stellar. In Jennifer Calvert and Octavia Jackson's Science Superstars, you'll be introduced to 30 remarkable women whose passion and dedication to all things science led to groundbreaking discoveries, vital medicine, essential technology, and cutting-edge inventions that changed the world. If you use GPS or Wi-Fi, you have Hedy Lamarr to thank for that. If you are fascinated by space travel, look no further than Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Stephanie Kwolek, Sally Ride, and Mae Jemison. And if you're spellbound by advances in medicine, the work of Elizabeth Blackwell, Elizabeth Garrett Anderson, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin, and others is indispensable to the world we know today. Discover the triumphs, curiosity, and hard work of female trailblazers whose love of science spurred revolutionary advances!

A stunning and intimate biography of Margaret Hamilton, the computer engineer who helped Apollo 11 and mankind get from the Earth to the moon. First-hand accounts, exclusive interviews with the legendary Margaret Hamilton, and detailed science populate the pages of this remarkable biography. In 1969, mankind successfully left our atmosphere and landed on the moon. It took countless hours of calculations, training, wonder, and sacrifice from all of the men and women who worked hard to make that landing. Hamilton was hired to develop the completely new software used in the groundbreaking Apollo Space Program. She became the lead engineer, one of the few women in the almost entirely male-dominated profession. But it wasn't always easy. In The Woman in the Moon, science-writer and journalist Richard Maurer dives deep into the backstory of this extraordinary woman. With first-hand interviews and access to primary sources, this striking biography perfectly captures the exciting atmosphere of the Space Race and the inspiring figure of Margaret Hamilton.

Twenty women who made a difference in science are presented here. Exceptional women enabled the world to advance in all fields of science including space exploration (Mae Jamison), telecommunications (the actress and genius discoverer Hedy Lamarr) and biology (Rosalind Franklin). This book presents a diverse group from around the world and provides inspiration going counter to preconceived notions about women and science.

Throughout history, Black women have blazed trails across the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Black Women in Science brings something special to Black history books for kids, celebrating incredible Black women in STEM who have used their brains, bravery, and ambition to beat the odds. Discover 15 science stories for kids exploring the lives of bold female scientists. Learn how each of them advanced their STEM fields and fought to build a legacy. Through the triumphs of these amazing women, you'll find remarkable role models. Find the inspiration to blaze your own trail with this incredible children's book about Black history!

A full-color picture book biography about Dorothy Vaughan, one of NASA's first Black managers and one of the groundbreakers on the front line of electronic computing--includes hands-on STEM activities for an introduction to coding. Dorothy Vaughan loved things that made sense--especially numbers! Children follow Dorothy's journey from math teacher to human computer and beyond, a journey made difficult because she was a Black woman working during a time of segregation. Dorothy worked incredibly hard to meet the challenges that greeted her at every turn and rose to the level of supervisor, the first Black supervisor in the history of her company! But another challenge awaited when a mechanical computer threatened to replace the teams of human computers. How will Dorothy figure out this problem?

A fascinating, highly visual biography of Mary Anning, the Victorian fossil hunter who changed scientific thinking about prehistoric life and would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists of all time. Mary Anning grew up on the southern coast of England in a region rich in fossils. As teenagers, she and her brother Joseph discovered England's first complete ichthyosaur. Anning would become one of the most celebrated paleontologists ever, though in her time she supported herself selling by fossils and received little formal recognition. Her findings helped shape scientific thinking about extinction and prehistoric life long before Darwin published his famous work on evolution. With engaging text, photographs, and stunning paleoart, Fossil Hunter introduces this self-taught scientist, now recognized as one of the greatest fossilists the world has ever known.

Winner of the 2020 Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Picture Book! When Wu Chien Shiung was born in China 100 years ago, most girls did not attend school; no one considered them as smart as boys, but her parents felt differently. Giving her a name meaning "Courageous Hero," they encouraged her love of learning and science. This engaging biography follows Wu Chien Shiung as she battles sexism and racism to become what Newsweek magazine called the "Queen of Physics" for her work on beta decay. Along the way, she became the first woman hired as an instructor by Princeton University, the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society, the first scientist to have an asteroid named after her when she was still alive, and many other honors.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! Through profiles of seven remarkable women scientists and their achievements in their respective fields, Searching Beyond the Stars takes us deep into space, looking at the distant past and the distant future to capture the awe and intrigue of some of the biggest questions we can possibly ask. Making connections across astronomy, chemistry, physics, history, and more, Nicole Mortillaro draws on her own experience as a woman in STEM to highlight the incredible odds each scientist faces while chasing new discoveries and the ways in which sexism and racism, among other barriers, still affect women scientists to this day. Sidebars filled with fascinating facts take readers behind the science and encourage them to delve deeper. Vibrant illustrations by Amanda Key showcase the wonder of space and the passion and eternal curiosity that drive each scientist in their work unfurling the mysteries of our universe.

STEM Like a Girl empowers girls, ages 8 to 12, with the knowledge and confidence to become future problem solvers and leaders in the scientific world and beyond. This fully illustrated and photographic book profiles 35 inspiring girls and offers 15 hands-on, STEM-based experiments they can do at home. While leading a hands-on engineering project in her son's elementary school, researcher and biotech engineer Sarah Foster noticed fewer girls raising their hands or jumping into the activities than the boys. Surprised to see a gender gap at play at such a young age, she decided to do something about it. She founded STEM Like a Girl in 2017 with the goal of introducing young girls to the fun and rewarding fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. In this book, Sarah captures 35 girls expressing their love of all things STEM. Each girl speaks to her inspirations and role models, her favorite types of experiments, and why failure is almost always a good thing. There are also 15 experiments girls can do at home on their own or with adults, including extracting DNA from a strawberry, employing Newton's Third Law of Motion to build and fire an air cannon, and enacting acid-base chemistry to create homemade fizzy bath bombs.

What does it take to be a STEM genius? Check out these exciting, highly readable profiles of a dozen contemporary women who are on the cutting edge of scientific research. Searching the cosmos for a new Earth, using math to fight human trafficking, designing invisible (and safer) cars, unlocking climate-change secrets: all of this groundbreaking science, and much more, is happening right now, spearheaded by the diverse female scientists and engineers profiled in this book. Meet award-winning aerospace engineer Tiera Fletcher and twelve other science superstars and hear them describe in their own words their fascinating work, their childhoods, and the paths they traveled to get where they are--paths that often involved failures and unexpected changes in direction, but also persistence, serendipity, and brilliant insights. Their careers range from computer scientist to microbiologist to unique specialties that didn't exist before some amazing women profiled here created them. Includes reading suggestions, an index, a glossary, and some surprising ideas for how to get involved in the world of STEM.