Yorkshire Philosophical Society

Event Information

Women in science: from the bain-marie to Kevlar

Dr Gillian Butcher, Space Research Centre, University of Leicester

Women have contributed to science through the ages, from Hypatia of ancient Greece through to Marie Curie and on to Jocelyn Bell Burnell. Today as many as 33.4% of higher education students of science (STEM) in the UK are women. So why is “women in science” still such an issue? This talk will outline women’s contribution to science through history,  consider some of the cultural context which helped and hampered their participation, and will also question whether science is as objective and free from human bias as it likes to think it is.

Report

The history of women in science extends back more than 4000 years, to ancient Egypt, but women have encountered obstacles to working in science for as long, because men have feared the challenge of women’s intellectual ability nearly as much as their sexuality.

In the 17th century this fear translated into accusations of witchcraft. The 18th-century Enlightenment’s theories of reason vs superstition paralleled masculine views of male and female attributes, while the American and French revolutions further encouraged the gendering of social roles. There was little change until the late 20th century, but even so, implicit, often unconscious bias against the female or feminine continues.

How different the history of science might have been with acceptance of women’s approach to it cannot be known, but different it would have been. More inclusive and holistic, less competitive and dogmatic?

Sadly, there was little mention of women scientists in the history of China, India or Islam. Mention was made of recent statistics showing high numbers of women studying science in Albania, Ecuador, Lithuania and Tunisia, but an intelligent question from the floor produced a more nuanced interpretation. Science was not highly regarded in those countries – and nor was women’s intellect. Equally sadly, there was also no consideration of such obstacles to the female scientist’s career as marrying, wanting to live with a scientist husband but keep her own career (not just follow his), and have children.

Note: The invention of the bain-marie is popularly attributed to Mary the Jewess, an alchemist of ancient Alexandria; Kevlar was invented by Stephanie Kwolek in the 20th century.

Carole Smith