by Estelle Cheuk The remarkable mind who pushed the limitations of her time to make outstanding contributions to the field of astronomy Although largely unknown outside the fields of astronomy and astro-physics, Henrietta Swan Leavitt, made one of the most important and pioneering discoveries of the disciplines to date. Her findings turned the contemporary view… Continue reading A Life in the Stars: Henrietta Swan Leavitt
By Professor Ruth Watts.Science, a vast field of knowledge so important in the modern world, has traditionally been perceived as ‘masculine’, and women have generally been excluded or pushed to the periphery. Modern studies have explored the reasons for this and have found many examples of women who managed to break through the barriers. The… Continue reading Scientific Women: Finding ‘a way in’ through the centuries
By Melanie O'Sullivan 'What a variable star 'fiend' Miss Leavitt is, one can't keep up with the roll of the new discoveries.'- Charles Young of Princeton, to Edward Pickering in a letter. The director of the Harvard College Observatory, Edward Pickering, frustrated with the inefficiency of his male assistants, once declared his 'maid could do… Continue reading Henrietta Swan Leavitt and the Harvard Computers
By Maddie Geddes-Barton In 1967 Bell was working on her PhD in astronomical physics: the study of outer space. The specific aim of her research was to test a new radio telescope designed mainly by her supervisor Anthony Hewish. The Cavendish team of astronomers working on the project were specifically interested in searching for quasars.… Continue reading Jocelyn Bell and the Lighthouses of the Sky
