Emma Green - Female Innovators Who Changed Our World: How Women Shaped STEM

How Women Shaped STEM

Emma Shimizu

First published in Great Britain in 2022 by

Pen & Sword History

An imprint of

Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Yorkshire Philadelphia

Copyright Emma Shimizu 2022

ISBN 978 1 52678 969 3

eISBN 978 1 52678 970 9

mobi ISBN 978 1 52678 970 9

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Trying to select such a small number of women to write about and do them justice has been an immensely difficult task, but writing about their lives has been an absolute privilege. Thank you to Aileen for believing in me, and to Lauren without whom we would not have met.

I have been humbled by my friends willingness to offer their time and share their unique and important perspectives. As the primary aim of this book is to inspire, I have taken every effort to ask for advice in any areas that need to be inclusive and representative. I could not have achieved this without these friends: Matt, Mita, George, Luca, Pengk, Alice, Abi, thank you. Steve and Lauren, I salute your patience. There is no way to express my gratitude for the hours you have put in to this book.

Thank you to my families, the Greens, Shimizus, and Reisses, for always being encouraging and taking an interest. Special thanks to Baba, Sally, and my parents, Andrew and Naomi; you have supported me in my endeavours ever since I can remember.

And to my husband, Rob. Ive spent hundreds of hours researching the lives, careers and romances of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Never in my wildest dreams could I have wished for anyone better than you.

When I set out to write this book at the beginning of 2020, there was no way of knowing the extent of the disruption and suffering the Coronavirus pandemic would have on the world. Having a scientific background, I have always had an appreciation for the way in which STEM shapes our lives, but it wasnt until virologists seemed to have a daily slot on the radio that it truly hit home. Public interest in science and technology inevitably increases when it drives the response to health crises, but COVID-19 has had an unprecedented social, economic and political effect that will remain in the memories of people who lived through the pandemic. At the time of writing, Dr June Raine is the CEO of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) of the United Kingdom and as such she has had a high level of responsibility in preparing for the UKs vaccination response.

Upon embarking on my research, I was delighted to find that history has no shortage of successful and respected women like Raine. Whilst the scope of this book exclusively focuses on the history of women in STEM, it is important to clarify that their work was not merely celebrated because of their gender but because it stood up to the scrutiny of the international scientific community. There are so many women who fit this description that it was a real challenge deciding on who to include. Ultimately, holding on to the belief that the most powerful inspiration comes from people and situations we can relate to, the subjects were chosen because their work had concrete relevance to our twenty-first-century lives. The incredible achievements and journeys of the forty-six women in this book really spoke to me as a woman who studied science, trained as an engineer and works in manufacturing. Although many of them may have carried out their work hundreds of miles away from where you are sitting, several lifetimes ago, they were human and faced struggles and challenges just like we do.

As each generation continues to develop and define the action required to create a more inclusive world, it is more important than ever to look back at the resilient innovators who came before us. Many of us are privileged to live in a world that has come a long way since these women were at the peak of their careers. When it comes to providing equal opportunity regardless of gender, race, sexuality or economic status, whilst promoting ethical and environmentally sustainable practices, both the global north and the global south have a long way to go.

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics have always played a major role in shaping civilisations, but there is inevitably a lag time before new advancements benefit the majority. Technological progress will usually be limited and have unanticipated consequences if social development is not considered alongside it. This is one of the reasons it is so vital for women from a diverse range of backgrounds to pursue careers that have the ability to change our lives. Otherwise, who exactly are things being designed to benefit? Caroline Criado Perez highlights one such example in her book, Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men , when she points out that when cars are crash-tested, only the male anatomy is considered.

The women in this book had a hand in shaping the world, and our lives are better for it.

Whether you work in a STEM field, aspire to do so, have a family member or friend who wants to, or wish to know more about the true history of science and technology, I hope you enjoy learning about these fascinating trailblazers. Some have been denied education, whilst others were thrown out of their countries, orphaned, suffered illnesses, or were spurned because of their ethnicity or culture. And yet, they have gone down in history. Their stories are there waiting to be told and to spark discussion. To instil confidence. To inspire.

The author of this book has made every effort to find and contact the original copyright holder of images presented. The author has only used images for which agreement has been given by the copyright holder or where it has been confirmed that the image is in public domain. If you believe that you are the copyright holder of any of the images presented, please contact the publisher for more details.