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It’s difficult to make this list because there are so many powerful women in STEM. Generally, men are the ones who get acknowledged for the work they do. In the past, the field was largely male-dominated, but since then, there have been more women entering various STEM-based professions. Men often get credit for discovering something before the women in question are even mentioned. Therefore, this list is of some of the inspiring women who have made a powerful impact in the world of STEM.
- Marie Sklodowska Curie (1867-1934)
Marie Curie was born on November 7, 1867, in the Kingdom of Poland, a Russian Empire. She was a French physicist who was famously known for winning the Nobel Prize twice. Marie Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize and remains the only woman to have won the award in two separate fields. She is also well known for her extensive work on radioactivity. Marie Curie passed away on July 4, 1934, in France.
- Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958)
Rosalind Franklin was born in London on the 15th of July in 1920. Her main contributions to science were her studies and research on the structure of DNA. More specifically, Franklin contributed to the genetic makeup of various viruses and illnesses. She passed away in London, in 1958.
- Jane C. Wright (1919-2013)
Dr. Jane Wright is known for providing treatment to cancer patients in Ghana and Kenya between 1957 and 1961. She is known for the research done on chemotherapy and how it became one of the most effective treatments for cancer. Between the years 1973 and 1984, she served as the vice president of the African Research and Medical Foundations. Dr. Wright went on to win many awards all over the world for her phenomenal contributions before her passing in February 2013.
- Katherine Johnson (1918-2020)
Katherine Johnson was described as a ‘computer’ by many. She loved math, counting, and anything that surrounded numbers. It was no surprise that Katherine Johnson worked for over 30 years at NASA. Here is where she did the trajectory analysis for the Freedom 7 mission in May of 1961.
- Mae C. Jemison (1965-Present)
Mae Jemison was a doctor, engineer, as well as a NASA astronaut. In 1992, Jemison became the first African American woman to travel into space. Throughout her life, Mae C. Jemison has written several books and even appeared on an episode of Star Trek. Jemison was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, and the International Space Hall of Fame. She is still active in various organizations of research today.