Here are a few amazing women in history who have made an impact in their respective fields despite the barriers they faced:Â
Ada Lovelace – Computing and Technology
Ada Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer. In the 1840’s, she created the first computer algorithm for the Analytical Engine (a general-purpose computer) that could calculate Bernoulli numbers. She came up with the idea that machines can process more than raw numbers; they could process text, symbols and music. She also introduced foundational computer science topics, such as loops and conditional statements that I learned in my introductory computer science courses.
Nellie Bly – Journalism
Nellie Bly was an investigative journalist who brought to light horrific treatment in a women’s mental health facility. In 1887, her reports incited a grand jury investigation, which led to increased funding and reforms. She also broke the world record for circumnavigating the globe in 72 days!
Katherine Johnson – Mathematics
From 1953 to 1986, Katherine Johnson was a mathematician for NASA. Her calculations and verifications on the orbital mechanics and trajectories were invaluable for US space missions in ensuring the safety of astronauts’ launch and return. One of these missions she worked on included calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard, who was the first American in space.Â
Marie Curie – Science
Marie Curie coined the term “Radioactivity” in 1898. She discovered two chemical elements, Polonium and Radium, with her husband (talk about couple goals). She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.Â
Frida Kahlo – Art
Starting in the 1920s, Frida Kahlo created self-portraits that challenged conventional beauty standards placed on women and also illustrated Mexican identity. Her work touched on subjects that were considered taboo during the time, such as maternal trauma, physical illness and sexuality. One of her portraits, The Frame, was purchased by the Mexican government. She was the first Mexican artist whose work was placed in the French national collection.Â
Chien-Shiung Wu – Science
Known as the “First Lady of Physics”, Chien-Shiung Wu disproved the Law of Conservation of Parity through an experiment using cobalt-60 in 1956. This process proved that nature can be asymmetrical and that there is a difference between left and right. Theoretical physicists who proposed the theory won the Nobel Prize, but she was excluded from the award despite verifying the theory through her experiment.Â
This list is incredibly short! There are many more women in history who have made an outstanding impact through their work. There are articles out there that talk about them, but I recommend 100 women who changed the world as a place to start. For me, reading about these women serves as a reminder to continue to strive towards my goals and value the opportunities I have today. I hope this does the same for you as well.