Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Science

Eleven incredible women pioneers who excelled at science, overcame prejudice and made significant discoveries. In 1945, for the first time in history, women joined the ranks of the Royal Society, the UK's premier scientific academy. Over the following decade, eleven women would break through its barriers to become Fellows of the Royal Society. Few of these women are well known, yet they all made extraordinary contributions to science, helping shape the post-war world. From Dame Honor Fell, whose research laid the foundations for IVF, to Dorothy Hodgkin, who worked out the structure of penicillin, these women battled prejudice and hardship but ultimately made cracks in the glass ceiling of science, paving the way for later generations of women to enjoy careers in areas traditionally dominated by men. Breaking the Glass Ceiling of Science pays tribute to these remarkable women and their achievements and asks why many have slipped from our memories, even though their legacies have endured. AUTHOR: Stella Butler has worked as a teacher, museum curator, and librarian. She has a degree in Biology (with Chemistry), and a PhD in the history of science. She is an Honorary Research Fellow in the history of science at University College, London. She has published on the history of physiology in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and worked as a museum curator on the history of the physical sciences earlier in her career. 40 illustrations