British chemistry has traditionally been depicted as a solely male endeavour. However, this perspective is untrue: the allure of chemistry has attracted women since the earliest times. Despite the barriers placed in their path, women studied academic chemistry from the 1880s onwards and made interesting or significant contributions to their fields, yet they are virtually absent from historical records.Comprising a unique set of biographies of 141 of the 896 known women chemists from 1880 to 1949, this work attempts to address the imbalance by showcasing the determination of these women to survive and flourish in an environment dominated by men. Individual biographical accounts interspersed with contemporary quotes describe how women overcame the barriers of secondary and tertiary education, and of admission to professional societies. Although these women are lost to historical records, they are brought together here for the first time to show that a vibrant culture of female chemists did indeed exist in Britain during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
This bestselling text introduces descriptive inorganic chemistry in a less rigorous, less mathematical way. The book uses the periodic table as basis for understanding chemical properties and uncovering relationships between elements in different groups. Rayner-Canham and Overton’s text also familiarizes students with the historical background of inorganic chemistry as well as with its crucial applications (especially in regard to industrial processes and environmental issues), resulting in a comprehensive appreciation and understanding of the field and the role it will play in their fields of further study
Though rarely noted, women have been active participants in the chemical sciences since the beginning of recorded history. This thought-provoking book brings to life the many talented women who--besides the universally respected Marie Curie--made significant contributions to chemistry. The Rayner-Canhams examine the forces that have defined women's roles in the progress of chemistry, observing that many were thwarted from capitalizing on their achievements by the prejudices of their time. Their book discusses women chemists from as far past as the Babylonian civilization but focuses on professional women chemists from the mid-19th century, when women gained access to higher education. Read this book and learn about the chemist-assistants of the French salons, about independent researchers in the 19th century, about the three disciplinary havens for women in the 20th century, about how war helped bring women into the chemical industry--and much more!
After completing a master's degree at McGill University under Rutherford's tutelage, Brooks continued her post-graduate work at Bryn Mawr College and Cambridge University, eventually returning to McGill to work again with Rutherford. In 1904 she left Canada to work at Barnard College in New York City, and then with Curie in Paris. Brooks had a significant career as a nuclear scientist, but her success was hampered by the fact that she was a woman. She eventually married and left research. Her premature death at age fifty-six was probably related to her work with radiation.
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