Women are underrepresented in almost every industry and underappreciated, which is the same case within the scientific field even though numerous female scientists have made significant contributions to the different branches of science.

In celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2021, Science Times presents some of the most notable female scientists throughout history, whether from the past century or today.

 Here are some of them, from the famous Marie Curie to the modern-day scientists who are considered one of the best in their respective fields.

Marie Curie

Who would not know Marie Curie, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize when women are underappreciated and the head of the physics lab in Sorbonne when women do not teach in European universities.

She won the much-coveted prize alongside her husband, Pierre Curie, a famous scientist at that time. Marie Curie pioneered the research in radioactivity with her discovery of the radioactive element radium.

Tiera Guinn

According to Global Citizen, Tiera Guin is a 21-year old scientist who is helping build a rocket for NASA that could be the most powerful and biggest rocket the American space agency has ever made. Despite not graduating yet from college, this aerospace major with a 5.0 GPA is now working as a Rocket Structural Design and Analysis Engineer for the Space Launch System with Boeing for NASA.

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Jennifer Doudna

Jennifer Doudna is one of the greatest living scientists for her groundbreaking technology for editing genomes, known as the CRISPR-Cas9. The technology allows gene-editing to help cure genetic deformities and diseases, such as cancer, sickle cell, anemia, cystic fibrosis, Huntington's disease, and HIV. There are issues of serious ethical concerns surrounding this novel technology. But if used in the right way, CRISPR-Cas9 could be a revolutionary treatment for various diseases, and Doudna will have made it possible, SRG Talent reported.

Cynthia Kenyon


Molecular biologist Cynthia Kenyon's genetic studies on C. elegans has made groundbreaking discoveries that it might be possible to make human lives longer.

She was able to identify the daf2 hormone receptor mutation that doubled the lifespan of the worm without affecting its life in general. If translated to human terms, the worms looked like teenagers even during their middle age.

Repeating a similar experiment to mice, she has found that it has uniform results as those in the worms, implying that it could also be achieved in humans.

Mae C. Jemison

In 1992, Mae C. Jemison became the first African-American astronaut in history as a crew member on the space ship Endeavor.

She has a background in both engineering and medical research and worked as a medical doctor who served the Peace Corps in Sierra Leone and Liberia before becoming the first black woman to go to space.

According to NASA, Jemison also "worked in the areas of computer programming, printed wiring board materials, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, computer magnetic disc production, and reproductive biology."

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