American Women Scientists

For most of the 20th century, American women had little encouragement to become scientists. In 1906, there were only 75 female scientists employed by academic institutions in the entire country. Despite considerable barriers, determined women have, however, decidedly distinguished themselves.
Three examples: Astronomer Annie Jump Cannon discovered five novas and over 300 other stars. Mathematician and computer scientist Grace Hopper helped invent the COBOL language. Anesthesiologist Virginia Apgar devised the now universally used Apgar score to make a rapid evaluation of a newborn’s condition just after delivery.
Of the 23 American women scientists covered, six were awarded Nobel prizes. Each biography is accompanied by a photograph. A bibliography and an index complete the work.

The late Moira Davison Reynolds, a retired biochemist, wrote about women who made significant contributions to United States culture, including several books about activists, artists, authors and scientists. She lived in Marquette, Michigan.

Moira Davison Reynolds
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 159
Bibliographic Info: photos, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2004 [1999]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-2161-9
Imprint: McFarland

Illustrations      ix

Preface and Acknowledgments      1

Introduction      3

Cornelia Clapp      5

Nettie Stevens      9

Florence Bascom      13

Annie Jump Cannon      18

Alice Hamilton      22

Florence Sabin      31

Josephine Baker      36

Mary Swartz Rose      42

Karen Horney      46

Libbie Hyman      54

Gerty Cori      58

Helen Taussig      63

Barbara McClintock      69

Virginia Apgar      77

Maria Goeppert Mayer      81

Grace Hopper      88

Rita Levi-Montalcini      95

Rachel Carson      104

Chien-Shiung Wu      112

Ruth Sager      119

Gertrude Elion      123

Rosalyn Yalow      129

Mary Good      135

Epilogue      139

Bibliography      143

Index      147

“excellent…useful”—Feminist Collections; “the style is simple and easily understood, the science that is presented is clear and readily accessible”—Choice; “profiles of 23 of the century’s premier women scientists, representing a wide variety of disciplines…broad scope…useful”—School Library Journal; “a good overview”—Watchung Communications; “academic but accessible”—Scitech Book News; “well worth reading…anyone who buys it now in paperback will feel well rewarded…interesting…well illustrated”—Marquette Mining Journal; “public and school libraries would find it a useful addition to stock. The book is also a useful contribution to the history of science”—Reference Reviews.