Susan Picotte
“I am a dreamer who dreams, sees visions, and listens always to the still, small voice. I am a trail-blazer." – Susan Picotte
Rebeca Gerschman
The first person to discover the effects of oxygen free radicals on cell death and aging.
Lori Alvord
The first Diné (Navajo) to become board certified in surgery.
Lauren Esposito
“Visibility is important for mental health, for standing up to injustices, and for mentoring current colleagues and future scientists.” – Lauren Esposito
Isabella A. Abbott
“I call the endemic plants the first Hawaiians. Gingers and heliconias will grow elsewhere. The endemic plants will not. This is their home. It’s like the Hawaiian people - they belong here.” – Isabella Abbott
Helen Trías
“We need health, but above all we need to create a grounding for healthy public policy that redresses and salvages the growing inequities. We cannot achieve a healthier us without achieving a healthier, more equitable health care system, and ultimately, a more equitable society.” – Helen Trías
Frances H. Arnold
“Most innovations are not obvious to other people at the time. You have to believe in yourself. If you’ve got a good idea, follow it even when others say it’s not.” – Frances H. Arnold
Fe Del Mundo
“I feel that if you give the world the best that you can, the best will always come back to you.” – Fe Del Mundo
Rosalind Franklin
“Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated." – Rosalind Franklin
Uma Chowdhry
“I had the courage to dream the impossible.” – Uma Chowdhry
Margaret H. Rousseau
The first woman to earn a PhD in chemical engineering from MIT, the first woman member of AIChE, the first female AIChE Fellow, and the first woman to receive AIChE's Founders Award.
Mary G. Ross
The first known Native American engineer and notable engineer in the field of aerospace design.
Sally Ride
“Studying whether there's life on Mars or studying how the universe began, there's something magical about pushing back the frontiers of knowledge” – Sally Ride
Jane Rigby
“When a person can be their authentic self at work, I strongly believe that they will do more brilliant, creative science.” – Jane Rigby
Sara Josephine Baker
“All my life, I have maintained that the prejudice of the world can learn to live together in peace if they are not brought up in prejudice.” – Sara Josephine Baker
Lynn Conway
“If you want to change the future, start living as if you’re already there.” – Lynn Conway
Florence Nightingale
“Rather, ten times, die in the surf, heralding the way to a new world, than stand idly on the shore.” – Florence Nightingale
Kalpana Chawla
“I never truly thought of being the first or second someone, or being a small-town girl. This is just something I wanted to do. If you want to do something, what does it matter where you are ranked?” – Kalpana Chawla
Ynés Mexía
“In all my travels I’ve never been attacked by a wild animal, lost my way or caught a disease… I don’t think there’s any place in the world where a woman can’t venture.” – Ynés Mexía
Francés Colón
“I love the fact that I can use science to directly make people's lives better” – Francés Colón
Gertrude B. Elion
"Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In my day I was told women didn't go into chemistry. I saw no reason why we couldn't." – Gertrude B. Elion
Carolyn R. Bertozzi
The inventor of the field of biorthogonal chemistry.
Rana el Kaliouby
“I’ve found that having role models and mentors who I resonate with is so important – a lot of people have so many questions and . . . may not have someone who can relate enough to even answer in the first place.” – Rana el Kaliouby
Mae C. Jemison
“You have the right to be involved. You have something important to contribute, and you have to take the risk to contribute it.” – Mae Jemison
Marie Maynard Daly
“Courage is like – it’s a habitus, a habit, a virtue: you get it by courageous acts. It’s like you learn to swim by swimming.” – Marie M. Daly
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