Lost Women of Science

Harriet Jane Lawrence was one of the first female pathologists in the U.S. In the early 1900s she worked in Portland, Oregon, where she hunted microbes and developed vaccines and serum therapies with the help of 200 guinea pigs that she kept in her garage. Her work on a vaccine during the 1918 influenza pandemic earned her presidential recognition and has had a lasting impact on medicine. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Known as “America’s first female cryptanalyst,” Elizebeth Smith Friedman was a master codebreaker who played a pivotal role in both world wars, but for many years, no one knew what she had done—not even her own family. Elizebeth didn’t set out to be a codebreaker. In 1917, she was a 23-year-old English lit major, looking for an interesting job. That all changed when an eccentric millionaire whisked her off to his lavish country estate and recruited her to work on his passion project: finding the secret codes in Shakespeare’s plays. Elizabeth scoured the texts alongside a tiny team of self-taught codebreakers. No hidden messages surfaced. But soon, the U.S. government came knocking with a slightly higher priority mission. Perhaps her greatest coup was when she uncovered a Nazi spy ring in North America during World War II. J. Edgar Hoover took credit on behalf of the FBI, while Friedman signed an NDA, never speaking of her achievements, and fell into obscurity. Records of what she had done were found in the National Archives annex in College Park, Maryland. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Christine Essenberg, an unusual zoologist, with a remarkable career trajectory and a serendipitous find. Her journey from researcher to teacher. Uncovering lost women in science and the challenges faced by archivists. Exploring the story of Christine Essenberg and the efforts of researchers to delve into her work. The remarkable accomplishments of Christine Essenberg and her impact on inspiring girls in science.

Born in 1850, Sarah Loguen found her calling as a child, when she helped her parents and Harriet Tubman bandage the leg of an injured person escaping slavery. When the Civil War ended and Reconstruction opened up opportunities for African Americans, Loguen became one of the first Black women to earn a medical license. But quickly, racist Jim Crow laws prevailed. At the urging of family friend Frederick Douglass, Loguen married and, with her new husband, set sail for the Dominican Republic where more was possible for a person of color. This is her story.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Lillian Gilbreth, an efficiency expert, revolutionized the American kitchen with her redesign, creating the concept of the work triangle and incorporating a rolling cart for extra counter space. She also invented the pedal trash can and refrigerator door shelves. Her legacy lives on in everyday kitchen objects named after her.

In this podcast, we learn about Jewish physicist Lise Meitner and her groundbreaking discovery of nuclear fission. The episode explores her complex relationship with Otto Hahn, the ethics of nuclear weapons, and the role of antisemitism in Meitner's exclusion from the Nobel Prize. The story highlights Meitner's unwavering moral compass and her lasting legacy.

Physicist Lise Meitner was not awarded the Nobel Prize for splitting the atom. In this episode, we dive into her letters revealing her discovery of nuclear fission and her fraught relationship with collaborator Otto Hahn.

Physicists Ruth Howes and Caroline Herzenberg explore the forgotten female scientists of the Manhattan Project, documenting their crucial roles in building a nuclear weapon. Their book 'Lost Women of the Manhattan Project' highlights how these women were overlooked in formal histories. The hosts discuss their efforts to uncover and preserve the contributions of these women, and the renewed attention they have received since the film 'Oppenheimer' was released. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging their work and sharing their stories.

Guest, Katharine Way, a nuclear physicist and expert in radioactive decay, discusses her concerns about the ethics of atomic bombs after working on the Manhattan Project. She signed a petition urging President Truman to consider the moral implications of dropping the bomb and remained an advocate for fairness and justice. The podcast also explores her activism, involvement in neutron source construction, creation of artificial isotope Neptuneium 239, and her commitment to social justice.

Lilli Hornig, a talented chemist and advocate for female scientists, battled sexism throughout her career. She worked closely on plutonium research and was part of the team that developed and tested the mechanism for the plutonium weapon in the Trinity test. This podcast explores her personal journey and experiences at Los Alamos, as well as her contributions to science and advocacy for women in the field.