A Reflection on the History: The True Impact of Women in Science

In third grade, my favorite thing to do was talk. I’d talk to myself, I’d talk to strangers, and I’d even talk ….. Back….. to my parents. But most of all, I liked to talk during class. So, when the science teacher asked if anyone knew what the powerhouse of the cell was, I confidently interrupted, “Duh, this isn’t rocket science.” He just stared at me blankly. I looked smug, but on the inside, I was panicking – and not because of my Asian baby bowl cut. I thought, “Rocket science?” What even is that? I can’t just say that to someone if I don’t even know what it is. So I just said, “You know, like, really hard science.” It wasn’t until recently when I wanted to avenge my third-grade self, that I finally searched it up: what is rocket science? That’s when I began to explore the endless world of space-based technology. What caught my eye the most, however, was the lack of mention of women.

Let’s explore some history

When people think about Space travel, they often think of Neil Armstrong or Buzz Aldren, but many do not recognize that NASA’s first-ever rocket scientists were a team of female engineers. The data showed that at that time, in 1984, close to 40% of bachelor’s degrees in computer science were awarded to women. But this number has quickly dropped to just 18% in 2018. Considering the monumental impact that women have had on technological innovation, their lack of appreciation for the development of space innovation is shocking. So today, let’s explore the history, the modern scientific workplace, and the implications of females in Aerospace technology. After all, it’s only rocket science. 

Among the first things that came up when I continued searching about the team, was a TedTalk by an author named Nathalia Holt. In addition to talking about her experience as a woman in STEM, she brings up a book that she wrote, entitled “Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, from Missiles to the Moon to Mars” I was so intrigued that I immediately went online to check out the book, and I did something that not many kids do today… I read it. 

The story of the Rocket Girls

The story of the Rocket Girls starts in the 1940s with the introduction of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. JPL originally focused on the development of missile technology for warfare, casually experimenting with rocket motors in the open fields of Pasadena, California. As the tensions of World War II increased, JPL rocket tests caught the attention of the U.S. Army, who began sponsoring their research. After the war, interest in space exploration spawned a rivalry between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. In October 1957, the Soviets released their satellite Sputnik, the first, “man-made” moon. Pressured to catch up, JPL built Explorer 1, which launched in January 1958 and became the first American Earth-orbiting satellite. This work became largely acclaimed, and in the same year, America founded a national aerospace agency, which you might have heard of: NASA. The problem for NASA was that computers haven’t always existed, thus complex mathematics necessary to calculate velocities and plot trajectories required the detail-oriented work of human mathematicians. So, behind all the success of JPL, was a cadre of young women NASA had recruited to do this work – women whose mathematical prowess was put to the test with only pencils and graph paper. The work that these women were doing was considered very unusual for the time. They were affectionately dubbed the “rocket girls” by their male colleagues, who were ironically their most discouraging counterparts. Often, women mathematicians didn’t have the same academic backgrounds as the men around them. They’d come to math from innate interest or from being exposed to it through fathers, male friends, or boyfriends but were unable to really develop their interests in an academic setting because the universities of that time often didn’t allow women to enroll in math classes. 

Women are 45% more likely to leave the tech field compared to men

Lucky for me, after an hour-long test, I was nominated as the only female 6th grader in our middle school’s Science Olympiad Team. But I soon realized having to compete and learn with three older men gave me a lot of pressure. So, I did the next most logical thing for any Mathematical prodigy… I joined Speech and Debate! 

Now, don’t get me wrong, I still have a passion for science, but that’s the sad reality. Even though most women pursue STEM from innate interest, they are often discouraged by the competition resulting from implicit bias held by many prestigious Universities and laboratories. Yale University researchers did a study where they asked about 200 faculty members to review an application for a job as a lab manager. All faculty participants received the same application; the only difference was that each one was randomly assigned a male or female name. After judging the applicants’ competency and how much they should be paid, both men and women science faculty were more likely to hire the male, ranked him higher in competency, and were willing to pay him $4000 more than the woman, even though they were the same application. For this reason, it’s no shock that women are 45% more likely to leave the tech field compared to men.

Although women are allowed more opportunities compared to the past, that doesn’t mean that those opportunities are easy to come by. Postdoctoral associate in psychology Corinne Moss-Racusin concludes that, while women are often underrepresented in sciences because of personal or lifestyle choices, it is clear that gender bias is also involved, however subtle it is. So despite the heavy impact the women of Jet Propulsion Laboratory had on the development of space technology, they were often still regarded with lesser status to the point where they were seen as ornamental members of the agency whose looks were more important than their brains. But I mean who wouldn’t love competing in a yearly beauty pageant called Miss Guided Missile? The reality is that society has distorted our understanding of the true impacts of these women. The truth is the women at JPL became the backbones of the team working on missile development.  Eventually, the work of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory changed from solely figuring out missile trajectories to figuring out what’s beyond the exosphere, expanding our knowledge through rocket missions to the Moon, and eventually to Mars.

Today's Situations

In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed Title IX into law as a part of the Education Amendments, prohibiting institutions that receive federal funding from excluding students on the basis of sex. Since the law’s enactment, women have made some gains in science and engineering — they’ve gone from representing just 8 percent of STEM workers to 27 percent in 2019. And yet in 2023, women are still permitted significantly less government funding for research projects and programs compared to men, an issue that was already pointed out in a 2019 Smithsonian magazine where it was found that “on average, male researchers” at Northwestern University “were given $41,000 more than their female counterparts.” 

Regardless of these setbacks, women have continued to make consequential impacts on our daily lives. You wake up in the morning and check if anyone texted you. That wifi you’re using? That was brought about by women. As you head out, there’s no need to be scared of leaving the house because of your home security system, which was invented by a woman. You’re late for work but need to do the dishes. Thank god for the woman-invented dishwasher! With all of these advancements coming from women, the reality is that women have been at the forefront of innovation, shaping our everyday lives in countless ways. 

Women's hard work should be celebrated, not concealed

Clearly, when it comes to STEM fields, a women’s place in society is not only complicated but constantly changing. As we reflect on the history, the status quo, and the profound impact of these remarkable women, we are reminded to talk more, because their hard work should be celebrated, not concealed.