Each year in March, we celebrate the tremendous achievements that women have made while hurdling roadblocks cemented in centuries of gender inequality. In both their personal and professional lives, women make strides every year that help empower future generations with the skills they need to fulfill their goals no matter what challenges they face.
In the realm of STEM, women are responsible for some of the most groundbreaking discoveries and inventions that have improved the world around us. Learn more about some of these women and their amazing contributions to STEM in this guide put together by an inspirational female leader herself, Newton Public School 3rd grade teacher Ms. Emily Donahue.
Here’s some of the amazing women that Ms. Donahue highlights in her guide:
Elizabeth Blackwell: A pioneer in the field of medicine, Elizabeth showed the world that women could be doctors, too. As the first woman in America to receive a medical degree, she championed the participation of women in the medical profession and ultimately opened her own medical college for women.
Annie Easley: Annie had a 34 year-long career with NASA as a computer scientist and mathematician. Although she had no college degree, her graduation from high school as valedictorian coupled with her work ethic, helped her develop the ability to master complex equations needed for her position as only one of four African Americans working in the computational section.
Jane Cookie Wright: Jane was a pioneering cancer researcher and surgeon noted for her contributions to chemotherapy. In particular, Wright is credited with developing the technique of using human tissue culture rather than laboratory mice to test the effects of potential drugs on cancer cells.
