Women in Science

The Science History Institute joins museums, archives, and cultural institutions across the country in celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in 2020.

The anniversary of this historic achievement, which struck down laws restricting voting rights on the basis of gender, provides an ideal opportunity for the Institute to celebrate all things women and science. Through our collections, programs and events, Distillations content, and other initiatives, we’ll engage in a global conversation about the importance of women in science. Join the celebration by following #WomenInScience on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

#SciHistoryBracket

In March 2020, we celebrated Women’s History Month with our March Madness-style Women of Science bracket. Thanks to our Twitter and Facebook followers for voting for your favorite female scientists in our thrice-weekly polls.

And the winner of our #SciHistoryBracket is . . . Wang Zhenyi, an astronomer who lived in 18th-century China. Although she only lived until the age of 27, Zhenyi published 12 books in her short life. Along with writing about her own observations of the stars and eclipses, she rewrote scholarly mathematical and scientific treatises so that all audiences could understand them. Zhenyi was an advocate for women’s education stating that men and women “are all people who have the same reason for studying.”

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Collection Highlights

Our digital collections include images of female scientists, lab technicians, and other scientific workers, as well as an array of materials related to women’s health. And some really cool stamps.