Women in STEM

Vera Rubin began pursuing the sciences inspired by Maria Mitchell, the first woman astronomer. Rubin earned her PhD from Georgetown University's astronomy program where she only attended night classes as she was also juggling family life. Rubin focused on the scale length in the distribution of galaxies, particularly fascinated by dark matter, an invisible substance that makes up the universe's energy. In 1965, Rubin started working at the Carnegie Institution's Department of Terrestrial Magnetism in Washington, DC where she was the first woman scientist in the department. She faced gender discrimination in her role; however, she did not let it discourage her and she continued to do research on the universe. During her time, Rubin published over 100 scientific papers, received the National Medal of Science in 1993, and became the second woman ever to receive the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1994. Rubin both inspired women in the sciences and was a steppingstone for women in STEM. She passed away in 2016 due to natural causes. 

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As a teenager, Mary Eliza Mahoney knew she wanted to work in healthcare. In 1878, Mahoney attended one of the first nursing schools in the US, The New England Hospital for Women and Children. Mahoney was 1 of 4 students who completed the nursing program in 1879. Mahoney made history in becoming the first licensed Black nurse. After graduating, Mahoney became a private nurse due to the racial discrimination she faced in public nursing. In 1908, Mahoney co-founded the National Association of Colored Graduate Nurses (NACGN). She worked as the director of the Howard Orphanage Asylum for 2 years helping Black children. After her passing in 1926, Mahoney had an award created in her name for her achievements. In 1976 she was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame and then into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993. 

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Antonia Novello was diagnosed with congenital megacolon, an abnormality of the large intestine. Novello went through 2 surgeries for her condition, inspiring her to become a doctor. She attended the University of Puerto Rico in 1965 and then the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in 1970. While in medical school, Novello's aunt passed away due to kidney failure. Novello's focus shifted to kidney disease and transplants, so she decided to study pediatric nephrology (study of kidneys). In 1984, Novello drafted legislation for the Organ Transplantation Procurement Act that created a national registry for organ matching. In 1990, Novello was appointed as US Surgeon General by former President George H.W. Bush. She was both the first woman and Hispanic/Latino/e/x to serve in this role. Novello's work ranged from pediatric AIDS to underage smoking to healthcare access for people of color, particularly focusing on women and children's health. In 1999, Novello was appointed as the New York health commissioner and stepped down in 2006. Today, Novello continues to influence the medical field. 

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