Pioneering Women Who Made Scientific History

Influential women have changed the way the general population lives in—and thinks about—the world for centuries now. This is especially true for female scientists who have defied odds and blazed brand new trails in their chosen disciplines. Historically speaking, women have often been underrepresented in various fields of science, which is why we should laud their contributions and discoveries.

So let’s examine closer a few pioneering women who made scientific history. Here are some key names to recognize and know more about.

Mary Anning (1799-1847)

Although she was one of the pioneering women who made scientific history, Mary Anning was self-taught in the field of paleontology. As a revolutionary British fossil hunter, she recognized, excavated, and preserved relics when the field was closed off to women. At the age of 12, she was the first individual to discover skeletal fossils of the ancient, extinct beings known as the ichthyosaur and plesiosaur. Thanks to her observations, the world has an augmented understanding of diverse prehistoric creatures.

Marie Curie (1867-1934)

Marie Curie is recognizable as the only person—male or female—to win the Nobel Prize in two scientific fields. As a profound Polish-French physicist and chemist who performed extensive research on radioactivity, she is known for her discoveries of the chemical elements radium and polonium. She headed a leading research center for radiation treatment, and her long-lasting influence still helps modern scientists carry out significant applications for radioactive phenomena in radiochemistry today.

Virginia Apgar (1909 -1974)

Virginia Apgar was an American medical researcher and physician-scientist. She’s notable for her development of the Apgar Score, a brilliantly designed examination that assesses the health of newborn babies. The standardized worldwide scoring system has reduced infant fatality rates ever since. She was also an educator to the public. Her pioneering research in anesthesiology and obstetrics gave rise to the field of neonatology. As a result, she has changed countless lives for the better.

Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997)

Chein-Shiung Wu grew up in China before moving to the United States for PhD studies. She was a pioneer in the experimental physics field and the first woman faculty member of the physics department at Princeton University. She later worked at Columbia University in NYC. Shortly afterward, she was recruited into the Manhattan Project for top-secret work during World War II. Most known for the Wu Experiment, the nicknamed “First Lady of Physics” proved that particles in nature aren’t always symmetrical.

Ellen Ochoa (1958-Present)

As an electrical research engineer and former astronaut, Ellen Ochoa has made remarkable accomplishments and contributions. She assisted with the creation of patented systems and methodologies that NASA used for object recognition. She also served as a mission specialist on the space shuttle Discovery, becoming the first Latina woman to travel to space. Since retiring from almost a thousand hours of spaceflight, she has held several directorial roles and is now an agency executive of the National Science Board.