5 Historical Women In STEM who Deserve More Recognition

When we think of famous historical figures in STEM, there are a couple of people who come to mind: Albert Einstein, Neils Bohr, Charles Darwin, and Stephen Hawking. Out of all the figures that we think of, a woman rarely makes the list. Why? Women in STEM have transformed our lives and made several grand contributions that define their fields. Yet, their names remain unrecognized and most people don’t truly grasp the extent of their accomplishments.

So, in honor of Women’s History Month and the countless amazing women in STEM who deserve to be appreciated, here are 5 women in STEM who changed the world but aren’t nearly as popular as they should be:

Grace Hopper (1906–1992)

Grace Hopper was a pioneer for women in computing. She developed one of the earliest programming languages, CBOL, and built the foundation for some of the most impactful innovations in computer science. She invented the first compiler, a program that translates code into machine language. She even coined the term “bug”, a commonly used term in coding lingo, after finding dead moths inside a malfunctioning computer. These are just a few of Grace Hopper’s many groundbreaking accomplishments in her 44-year computer science career. Over 20 years after her death, her influence is still making a huge impact every day.

Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000)

Hedy Lamarr was primarily known for her illustrious acting and film production career, but she was also a trailblazing inventor who created a prototype for an early version of WiFi. She originally invented a frequency-hopping signal during World War 2 to guide torpedoes without risk of being jammed or set off course. Although this wasn’t widely used for military purposes, it would later be adapted to Bluetooth technology and WiFi. So, although Hedy Lamarr’s chosen profession wasn’t STEM-related, she paved the way for incredible technology that is a staple of our current world.

Maria Winkelmann (1670–1720)

Maria Winkelmann was an underappreciated astronomer who was the first woman to discover her own comet, although she wasn’t given credit for it at first. When she discovered the comet, her husband Gottfried claimed the accomplishment as his own. Years later, he retracted his statement and proclaimed that Maria deserved credit, but Winkelmann was never fully recognized for her contributions. Maria went on to conduct impactful research on the Aurora Borealis, sunspots, comets, and she actively improved the Berlin Academy of Science. However, as a prominent woman in STEM in the 1700s, she was forced into early retirement by her colleagues who didn’t approve of her untraditional role.

Leona Woods (1919–1986)

Leona Woods was the only woman on the team of physicists who built the first atomic bomb. She was a vital part of the Manhattan Project, persevering to help the project succeed and overcoming the misogynistic attitudes of her peers. She was even forced to hide her pregnancy during her time on the project, so she wouldn’t give her male colleagues a reason to ask her to leave. When there was a fundamental issue with the project, she identified the xenon poisoning and led the efforts to find a solution. She played an invaluable role in one of the most important steps forward for nuclear physics, and yet, her name remains unknown to most.

Alice Ball (1892–1916)

Alice Ball developed a life-saving treatment for leprosy and became the first woman and the first African American to be a chemistry professor at the University of Hawaii. Her treatment for leprosy was more effective, easy-to-administer, and widely available than any other treatment at the time, especially the previously most popular treatment, which was chaulmoogra oil. Her work helped thousands of patients and she broke barriers within her profession at a time when women of color in STEM were rarely recognized.

We’ve come a long way in recognizing women in STEM, but, as a society, there is still a noticeable injustice in how we treat women in STEM. But, let’s take a moment to acknowledge the amazing women scientists who inspired so many young girls, including me, to explore their passion for STEM.