History

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In discussions about women's supposed innate ability (or more specifically, their lack thereof) in the areas of science and mathematics, people often bring up the canard of "Look at all the great discoveries in those fields - they were made by men. Women just aren't wired for that stuff."

Last year i wrote about women in mathematics who have made significant contributions to the field, but who seem to be ignored by people making the above sort of claims. Today i came across an article in The Guardian: "The scientist whom history forgot", about Emilie du Châtalet. The article notes:

Voltaire wasn't much of a scientist, but Du Châtelet was a skilled theoretician. Once, working secretly at night at the chateau over just one intense summer month, hushing servants to not spoil the surprise for Voltaire, she came up with insights on the nature of light that set the stage for the future discovery of photography, as well as of infrared radiation. It was a humiliating contrast for Voltaire, and especially grating when she began to probe into the still recent mathematical physics of Sir Isaac Newton.

Voltaire could not follow any of the maths, but on political grounds he wanted to believe that Newton was perfect in all respects. Du Châtelet, however, began a research programme that went beyond Newton and led to her glimpsing notions that would lead later researchers to the idea of conservation of energy fundamental to all subsequent physics. . . .

Almost immediately after Du Châtelet's death, sharp-tongued gossips began to disparage her work. Then, as her insights entered the scientific mainstream, the idea that a woman had created these thoughts was considered so odd that even scientists who did use her ideas came to forget who had originated them.

The question begs: How many times has this happened throughout history?
 

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Grace Chisholm Young (1868-1944)

Born Grace Chisholm of Haslemere, near London, she was educated at home and then entered Girton College, Cambridge, the first English institution where women could receive a university education. Having attained a superior score on the Cambridge Tripos exam in 1892, she decided to go to Gottingen to continue her studies because there was no possibility of advanced study in England. Felix Klein was willing to accept women students, but only after he had assured himself through a persona interview that they would succeed. (There were other members of the faculty who objected to admitting women under any conditions.) Grace Chisholm earned her Ph.D. in 1894, becoming the first women to receive a German doctorate in mathematics through the regular procedure. In 1896, she married William Young, an English mathematician who had been her tutor at Girton.

The Young spent the next 44 years in a partnership fruitful both in mathematics and in children (six). Although most of the more than 200 mathematical papers and books which ensued were in William Young's name, Grace had a major role in their production. As William noted in an article of 1914, he had discussed the major ideass of the work with his wife, and Grace had elaborated the argument and put the paper into publishable form. Their daughet wrote that her father could only generate ideas when he was stimulated by a sympathetic audience. Not only did Grace provide this audience, but she also ahd the initiative and stamina to complete the various undertakings her hsuband proposed. William died at their home in Switzerland after the outbreak of World War II left Grace in England. She died in 1944, just before she was to receive an honorary degree from the Fellows of Girton College. Two of their sons as well as one of their granddaughters also became mathematicians.

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--Victor Katz, A History of Mathematics