Ruby Payne-Scott

May 22, 2023

Ruby Payne-Scott, a pioneer in radio astronomy and advocate for women's rights, is discussed in this podcast. Topics include her brilliant work cut short by desire for family, her early life and education in cancer treatments and magnetism, her transition to radio astronomy and identification of solar bursts, her strong personality and advocacy for gender equality, the scandal of her secret marriage, the unfair demotion she faced, and her fight for equal pay for women.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Ruby Payne-Scott: A Pioneer in Radio Astronomy and Advocate for Women's Rights

02:19 • 2min

Ruby Payne-Scott's Early Life and Education

04:32 • 7min

Ruby Payne-Scott's Work in Noise Measurement and Radio Astronomy

11:35 • 5min

Ruby Payne-Scott: Fearless Advocate and Pioneering Astronomer

16:37 • 7min

Equal Pay Campaign and the Scandal of Ruby's Marriage

23:46 • 5min

The Unfair Demotion of Ruby Payne-Scott

29:00 • 14min

Various Advertisements/Sponsors

42:56 • 2min

Ruby Payne-Scott is often called a pioneer in radio astronomy, but she was also a pioneer in advocating for women’s rights. She was clearly brilliant, but her work was cut short by her desire to have a spouse and a family.

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M. Goss and Claire Hooker. “Payne-Scott, Ruby Violet (1912–1981).” Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/payne-scott-ruby-violet-15036/text26233
Halleck, Rebecca. “Overlooked No More: Ruby Payne-Scott, Who Explored Space With Radio Waves.” New York Times. August 29, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/29/obituaries/ruby-payne-scott-overlooked.html
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“Hall (nee Payne Scott), Ruby Violet.” The Sydney Morning Herald. Obituaries. May 30, 1981. https://www.newspapers.com/image/122698551/?terms=Ruby%20Payne-Scott&match=1
Ward, Colin. “Ruby Payne-Scott [1912-1981].” CSIROpedia. March 23, 2011. https://csiropedia.csiro.au/payne-scott-ruby/
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“Our History.” CSIRO. https://www.csiro.au/en/about/achievements/our-history
Goss, W. M. and Richard McGee. “Under the Radar: The First The First Woman in Radio Astronomy: Ruby Payne-Scott.” Springer Science & Business Media. 2009.
Goss, W. M. “Making Waves: The Story of Ruby Payne-Scott: Australian Pioneer Radio Astronomer.” Springer. 2013.

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