Women in Chemistry and Physics: A Biobibliographic Sourcebook

by Louise S. Grinstein, Miriam Rafailovich, Rose K. Rose

Overview

Biographies of women scientists are few in number. This volume fills that gap in the literature. It includes extensive profiles, arranged alphabetically, of 75 women from different countries who have been influential in the development of chemistry and physics. Subjects were chosen on the basis of their advanced degrees, innovative research, influence in teaching, leadership in the profession, and scholarly publications. Each profile includes a biography, a career discussion, and a bibliography of works by and about the subject. Biographies provide personal information with special attention to influences on the subject's career. The career discussions indicate the significance of the subject's contributions in language accessible to the layperson. The work provides a valuable contribution to both women's studies and the history of chemistry and physics and should serve as an inspiration to young women seeking a career in the physical sciences.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313273827
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	10/25/1993
Pages:	736
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 1.56(d)

About the Author

LOUISE S. GRINSTEIN received a Ph.D. degree from Columbia University in Mathematics Education. She has worked in industry as a computer programmer and system analyst and is Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Kingsborough Community College of CUNY. She is the coeditor of Calculus: Readings from the Mathematics Teacher (1977), Women of Mathematics: A Biobibliographic Sourcebook (1987) and Mathematics Education in Secondary Schools and Two-Year Colleges: A Sourcebook (1988).

ROSE K. ROSE, Professor of Physical Sciences at Kingsborough Community College of CUNY, received a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from CUNY. She has been a contributing editor for six medical publications including Medical Tribune and Oncology News. Her areas of interest include chemical pharmacology medicinal chemistry, organic synthesis, chelates of palladium, liquid crystals, spectroscopy, stereoselective reactions, heterogeneous catalysis, and education in chemistry and physics, as well as women in science.

MIRIAM H. RAFAILOVICH received her Ph.D. degree in Applied Nuclear Physics from SUNY at Stony Brook. On leave from Queens College of CUNY, she is Professor in the Department of Materials Science at SUNY at Stony Brook as well as guest scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Her research interests are in polymer physics.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Fay Ajzenberg-Selove (1926-)
Gladys Amelia Anslow (1892-1969)
Hertha Marks Ayrton (1854-1923)
Laura Maria Caterina Bassi (1711-1778)
Ruth Mary Rogan Benerito (1916-)
Ruth Erica Leroi Benesch (1925-)
Joan Berkowitz (1931-)
Marietta Blau (1894-1970)
Katharine Burr Blodgett (1898-1979)
Mary Letitia Caldwell (1890-1972)
Emma Perry Carr (1880-1972)
Marjorie Constance Beckett Caserio (1929-)
Renate Wiener Chasman (1932-1977)
Gabrielle Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, Marquise du Châtelet (1706-1749)
Mildred Cohn (1913-)
Gerty Theresa Radnitz Cori (1896-1957)
Erika Cremer (1900-)
Marie Sklodowska Curie (1867-1934)
Marie Maynard Daly (1921-)
Cecile Andrée Paule DeWitt-Morette (1922-)
Helen Marie Dyer (1895-)
Gertrude Belle Elion (1918-)
Gladys Ludwina Anderson Emerson (1903-1984)
Rosalind Elsie Franklin (1920-1958)
Helen Murray Free (1923-)
Jenny Pickworth Glusker (1931-)
Mary Lowe Good (1931-)
Jeanette Gecsy Grasselli (1928-)
Anna Jane Harrison (1912-)
Caroline Stuart Littlejohn Herzenberg (1932-)
Dorothy Mary Crowfoot Hodgkin (1910-)
Darleane Christian Hoffman (1926-)
Hypatia (c. 370-ca. 415)
Irène Joliot-Curie (1897-1956)
Isabella Helen Lugoski Karle (1921-)
Joyce Jacobson Kaufman (1929-)
Marie Anne Pierrette Paulze Lavoisier (1758-1836)
Leona Woods Marshall Libby (1919-1986)
Kathleen Yardley Lonsdale (1903-1971)
Pauline Gracia Beery Mack (1891-1974)
Icie Gertrude Macy (1892-1984)
Margaret Eliza Maltby (1860-1944)
Ines Hochmuth Mandl (1917-)
Jane Haldimand Marcet (1769-1858)
Maria Gertrude Goeppert Mayer (1906-1972)
Louise Sherwood McDowell (1876-1966)
Grace Medes (1886-1967)
Lise Meitner (1878-1968)
Marie Meurdrac (1600s)
Helen Cecilia DeSilver Abbott Michael (1857-1904)
Helen Vaughn Michel (1932-)
Elizabeth Cavert Miller (1920-1987)
Agnes Fay Morgan (1884-1968)
Dorothy Virginia Nightingale (1902-)
Cecilia Helena Payne-Gaposchkin (1900-1979)
Mary Engle Pennington (1872-1952)
Marguerite Catherine Perey (1909-1975)
Mary Locke Petermann (1908-1975)
Melba Newell Phillips (1907-)
Lucy Weston Pickett (1904-)
Agnes Pockels (1862-1935)
Sarah Ratner (1903-)
Ellen Henrietta Swallow Richards (1842-1911)
Florence Barbara Seibert (1897-1991)
Mary Lura Sherrill (1888-1968)
Mary Fairfax Greig Somerville (1780-1872)
Giuliana Cavaglieri Tesoro (1921-)
Beatrice Muriel Hill Tinsley (1941-1981)
Anne Barbara Underhill (1920-)
Katharine Way (1903-)
Elizabeth Amy Kreiser Weisburger (1924-)
Frances Gertrude Wick (1875-1941)
Dorothy Maud Wrinch (1894-1976)
Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-)
Rosalyn Sussman Yalow (1921-)
Appendixes: Chronological List of Biographees
Biographees by Place of Birth, Place of Work, and Field of Scientific Interest.
References in Biographical Dictionaries and Other Collections
Association and Organization Codes
Title Code
Periodical Codes
Publisher Codes
Index

Editorial Reviews

This impressive sourcebook features biographical profiles of 75 women who made substantive contributions in chemistry and physics. The profiles, which include a bibliography of works by and about the individual, are each contributed by a different author and are written so that the science is understandable to the lay reader. Short biographies of the many contributors are included, as are several appendixes providing biographical, chronological, and disciplinary tables of the biographees. Both the foreword by Lilli S. Hornig and the preface by the authors stress the shortage of biographical material about women scientists--and their source list reflects it. A more timely review of the literature could have helped augment this list. Sharon Bertsch's Nobel Prize Women in Science ( LJ 2/1/93) and Outer Circle: Women in the Scientific Community , edited by Harriet Zuckerman ( LJ 8/91), are just two of the many recently published references whose inclusion would have made this a more useful resource.-- Hilary D. Burton, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, Livermore, Cal.

Library Journal

This volume includes extensive profiles, arranged alphabetically, of 75 women from different countries who have been influential in the development of chemistry and physics. The subjects were chosen on the basis of their advanced degrees, innovative research, influence in teaching, leadership in the profession, and scholarly publications. Each profile includes a biography, a career discussion, and a bibliography of works by and about the subject. Biographies provide personal information with special attention to influences on the subject's career. The career discussions indicate the significance of the subject's contributions at a level accessible to laypersons. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

This valuable resource recounts the contributions of women to science. Biographies of 75 women whose work spans nearly three centuries reflect their struggle to study in a chosen field, gain admission to professional societies, and the lack of funding support. The subjects represent many nations, ranging from Hypatia (ca. 370-ca. 415), the ancient mathematician and astronomer, to Marie Maynard Daly, African American chemist, and Chien-Shiung Wu, Chinese American physicist The selection criteria used were (a) attainment of advanced degrees despite familial and societal pressures; (b) innovative research results in some aspect of chemistry or physics; (c) influence exerted in teaching and guidance of students at the undergraduate and graduate levels; (d) active participation and leadership in professional societies; (e) extensive scholarly publications; and (f) participation on journal editorial boards. The scope was limited to deceased women or those born before 1933 Each alphabetically arranged entry has three parts--a biography, a review of the subject's research, and an extensive bibliography of works by and about the subject. The subject's background is presented as well as any circumstances or influences that affected her career and her significance to science. Throughout, the relevant chemistry and physics are presented in as nontechnical language as possible. Appendixes include a chronological list by date of birth, a list of places of birth and work and scientific fields for each subject, and listings of abbreviations used in the entries. A detailed index follows Because each entry has a different author, there is an unevenness of presentation reflective of varying writing styles; however, this does not detract from the volume. Because of the limited resources available on women scientists, this book should be acquired by academic and secondary school libraries; public libraries should consider purchase too.

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