The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.
-Ayn Rand
Women in Science
Women have long contributed to the progress of science. From theoretical physics to neurobiology, each scientific field has seen women experimenting, discovering, innovating. And yet, despite these efforts, science continues to be a male-dominated field.
Labeling women as ‘homemakers,’ many societies globally built education systems that excluded them. Fighting the prejudices around them, Janaki Ammal, Elizabeth Blackwell, and many others have contributed tremendously to science, inspiring students all over the world. However, when compared to their male counterparts these names are few in number.
Besides facing the wage gap, women in STEM also face the challenge of social isolation, leading to the impostor syndrome. It is imperative to ensure that science becomes a field of equal opportunity for both men and women so that one day in the future it is not unique to be a scientific woman but simply a scientific person.
This platform hopes to inspire more young girls to pursue the sciences by sharing the stories of women in science. We aim to celebrate not only their success, but also their passion and dedication for their work. We also bring to you a mentorship program: if you want to seek professional guidance by some of these women, you can fill in the form available in the Mentorship section. We acknowledge each and every student looking for inspiration or guidance. Welcome to the world of STEM!
Articles
SUJATHA RAMDORAI
Algebraic Number Theorist
Recipient of Srinivasa Ramanujan Prize for her contributions to Iwasawa Theory, she has worked extensively with elliptic curves. She is the Canada Research Chair at the University of British Columbia in Canada.
GAGANDEEP KANG
Medical Researcher and Clinical Scientist
The first Indian woman to be elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of London, she is known for her various achievements including her work on the rotavirus vaccine in India.
CHANDA NIMBKAR
Animal Husbandry & Agricultural Researcher
Recipient of India’s Award for ‘Science and Technology Innovations for Rural Development’ in 2007, she is the director of animal husbandry at the Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), in India, since 1998. Based in rural Maharashtra State, NARI conducts research to benefit farmers and rearers of small ruminant animals.
SUPURNA SINHA
Physicist (equilibrium and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics)
Inspired by her mother, the first woman PhD in Physics from Calcutta University, Supurna Sinha is currently working on problems related to Quantum Brownian Motion in collaboration with some researchers at ICTS, testing ideas proposed in her earlier papers with an experimental group, and working on epidemiological models around the COVID-19 pandemic in collaboration with a colleague.