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Sally Ride was the first American woman in space in 1983 on the Challenger space shuttle (STS-7).

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Beatrice (Tilly) Shilling came up with a solution to a problem Hurricane fighter-bomber and Spitfire fighter planes had in WWII with engines stalling during dives and other negative g-force maneuvers.

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Dian Fossey

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Alice Ball

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Marie Curie

Marie Curie is known for her work with radioactivity and co-discovery of polonium and radium. Curie was the first woman to win a Nobel prize in science (in 1903 in physics). She won again in 1911 in chemistry

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Mae Jemison

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Your name                     Scientist Name 

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Your name                     Scientist Name 

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Research a female scientist from the website (below) and explain their contributions to the field of STEM. ***Include a picture of the scientist.

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By Amy Cowen on February 25, 2021 12:00 PM
March is Women's History Month! Learn more about women in science history and get inspired by these 50+ scientists and engineers!
Women's History Month: 50+ Scientists to learn more about!

Update! This post has been updated for 2021 to highlight additional scientists and engineers.

There have always been women in science. Whether recognized at the time or not, women interested in science and engineering have made important discoveries, conducted game-changing research, and pursued careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Uncovering and sharing these stories and encouraging girls to see themselves as future scientists is important, ongoing work for science educators.

There are, of course, far too many women in science history to put on a single list, but the more scientists you and your students know about, the better! This resource can be used during Women's History Month and year-round to celebrate, recognize, and talk about inspiring women in science. We encourage educators to pair learning more about women in STEM with student reflection on personal interests and possible career paths, too.

We hope seeing lists like this (and the related lists for Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month) broadens awareness and helps inspire students to learn more about these scientists and to explore related science projects, activities, and careers.

How to Use this Resource

For each scientist, we have included a short biographical note, a link to a hands-on science project or activity related to the scientist's area of study, a link to a relevant science career profile, and a link to a biography to help students learn more about individual scientists. Educators can use this career worksheet to guide student exploration and reflection about STEM careers.

Women in Science and Engineering

Further Reading

Preschool/Elementary School

Grades 5+ / Middle School

High School/Adult

For additional STEM reading suggestions, see our STEM reading list.

Images: public domain or fair use, with exception of:
June Almeida (credit: Joyce Almeida)
Linda Buck (CC BY-SA 3.0; The Royal Society)
Emmanuelle Charpentier (CC BY-SA 4, Emmanuelle Charpentier)
Jennifer Doudna (CC BY-SA 3, The Royal Society)
Gertrude Elion (CC BY-SA 4.0; GSK Heritage Archives)
Thelma Estrin (CC BY-SA 3.0; User:Achituv)
Irene Fischer (CC BY-SA; Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collections Online)
Biruté Galdikas (CC BY-A 2.0)
Andrea Ghez (credit John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation)
Jane Goodall (GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2; Muhammad Mahdi Karim)
Stephanie Louise Kwolek (CC BY-SA 3.0; Science History Institute)
Esther Lederberg (The Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg Trust)
Inge Lehmann (CC BY-SA 4; The Royal Library, National Library of Denmark and University of Copenhagen University Library)
Sara Seager (CC BY-SA 3.0; Science History Institute)

You Might Also Enjoy These Related Posts:

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Women's History Month: 50+ Women in Science and Engineering to Learn More About | Science Buddies Blog

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By Amy Cowen on February 25, 2021 12:00 PM March is Women's History Month! Learn more about women in science history and get inspired by these 50+ scientists and engineers! Women's History Month: 50+ Scientists to learn more about! Update! This post has been updated for 2021 to highlight additional scientists and engineers.

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EXAMPLE                              Mrs. Martel                    Rosalind Franklin             

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EXAMPLE                              Mrs. Martel                    Rosalind Franklin             

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The discovery of DNA's structure relied on the work of Rosalind Franklin.  She had nearly figured out the molecule’s structure when Maurice Wilkins, a researcher she worked with, showed one of Franklin’s X-ray images to James Watson and Francis Click.

Watson, Crick and Wilkins won a Nobel Prize in 1962 for their discovery. Franklin was excluded.