9781422273050

WOMEN IN STEM CAREERS

Women in Anthropology

Women in Chemistry

Women in Engineering

Women in Environmental Sciences

Women in Information Technology

Women in Medicine

Women in Physics

Women in Space Exploration

Women Inventors

WOMEN IN STEM CAREERS

WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY

By Andrew Morkes and Shaina Indovino

Mason Crest Philadelphia • Miami

PO Box 221876, Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2022 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Series ISBN: 978-1-4222-4499-9 Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4222-4501-9 ebook ISBN: 978-1-4222-7305-0 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Production: Andy Morkes Cover and Interior Design: Tim Palin Layout: Priceless Digital Media Publisher’s Note: Websites listed in this book were active at the time of publication. The publisher is not responsible for websites that have changed their address or discontinued operation since the date of publication. The publisher reviews and updates the websites each time the book is reprinted.

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CONTENTS

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words, with their easy-to-understand definitions, will increase readers’ understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Chapter 1: Careers in Chemistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Darleane Hoffman: Radioactivity and Chemistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Chapter 2: Terms of the Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Marie Maynard Daly: Connections Between Diet and Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Chapter 3: Educational Training and Salaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Hazel Bishop: Cosmetics Chemist 55 Chapter 4: Exploring Careers in Chemistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Dorothy Hodgkin: Social Activist and Chemist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Chapter 5: The Future of Chemistry and Careers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Helen Free: Chemistry and Diabetes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Further Reading and Internet Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Educational Video Links . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 Photo Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Author and Consultant Biographies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Key Icons to Look For

INTRODUCTION

Have you wondered how the natural world works? Are you curious how science could help sick people get better? Do you want to learn more about our planet and universe? Are you excited to use technology to learn and share ideas? Do you want to build something new? Scientists, engineers, and doctors are among the many types of people who think deeply about science and nature, who often have new ideas on how to improve life in our world. We live in a remarkable time in human history.

The level of understanding and rate of progress in science and technology have never been greater. Major advances in these areas include the following: • Computer scientists and engineers are building

mobile and internet technology to help people access and share information at incredible speeds.

• Biologists and chemists are

creating medicines that can target and get rid of harmful cancer cells in the body.

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WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY

A portion of the periodic table of elements.

• Engineers are guiding robots on Mars to explore the history of water on that planet. • Physicists are using math and experiments to estimate the age of the universe to be greater than 13 billion years. • Scientists and engineers are building hybrid cars that can be better for our environment. Scientists are interested in discovering and understanding key principles in nature, including biological, chemical, mathematical, and physical aspects of our world. They observe, measure, and experiment in a systematic way in order to test and improve their understanding. Engineers focus on

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INTRODUCTION

applying scientific knowledge and math to find creative solutions for technical problems and to develop real products for people to use. There are many types of engineering, including computer, electrical, mechanical, civil, chemical, and biomedical engineering. Some people have also found that studying science or engineering can help them succeed in other professions such as law, business, and medicine. Both women and men can be successful in science and engineering. This series provides information on education and careers in a variety of science fields. It also highlights women leaders who have made significant contributions across many scientific fields, including chemistry, medicine, anthropology, engineering, and physics. Historically, women have faced barriers to training and building careers in science, which makes some of these stories even more amazing. While not all barriers have been overcome, our society has made tremendous progress in educating and advancing women in science. Today, there are schools, organizations, and resources that help women to pursue careers as scientists or engineers at the highest levels of achievement and leadership. The goals of this series are to help you with the following: 1. Learn about women scientists, engineers, doctors, and inventors who have made a major impact in science and our society 2. Understand different types of science and engineering and key terms in these fields 3. Learn more about the variety of educational paths one can pursue to enter these careers

4. Explore science and math in school and real life 5. Learn about the employment outlook in science and engineering specialties

You can do a lot of things to learn more about science, math, and engineering. Explore topics in books or online, take a class at school, go to science camp, or do experiments at home. More important, talk to a real scientist, doctor, or engineer! Call or email your local college to find students and professors. They

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WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY

The number of women pursuing careers in chemistry is increasing rapidly.

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INTRODUCTION

Laboratories are just one of many employment settings for chemistry professionals.

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would love to meet with you. Ask your doctors about their education and training. Or you can check out these helpful resources: • NOVA has very cool videos about science, including profiles on real-life women scientists and engineers: www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova • National Geographic has excellent photos and stories to inspire people to care about the planet: www.nationalgeographic.com/science Here are examples of online courses for students, of which many are free: 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) OpenCourseWare for high school: https://ocw.mit.edu/high-school 2. Khan Academy tutorials and courses: www.khanacademy.org 3. Stanford University Online High School: https://onlinehighschool.stanford.edu Other skills will become important as you get older. Build strong communication skills by asking questions and sharing your ideas in class. Ask for advice or help when needed from your teachers, mentors, tutors, or classmates. Be curious and resilient: Learn from your successes and mistakes. The best scientists and engineers do. Learning science and math is one of the most important things that you can do in school. Knowledge and experience in these areas will teach you how to think and how the world works, and they can provide you with many adventures and paths in life. I hope you will explore science, engineering, and medicine—you could make a difference in this world. Ann Lee-Karlon, PhD Past-President, Association for Women in Science

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INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1: CAREERS IN CHEMISTRY

Words to Understand analytical skills: the ability to understand and solve complex problems hypotheses: educated guesses; possible explanations meant to explain facts, based on scientific evidence but not yet proven correct

pharmaceutical: related to medicinal drugs scientific method: a procedural set of steps that scientists follow in order to answer questions about the world

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Chemists have a wide range of work environments. Above, chemists collect water samples to determine pollutant concentrations.

THE WORLD OF CHEMISTRY Many people know early in their lives that they want to be scientists. They’re curious about the world. They like asking questions and forming hypotheses . They might even conduct some experiments. Lots of people believe kids are natural scientists. They’re curious about how the world works without any bias. And little girls are no exception. By the time they’re ready to choose a career, more and more women are choosing science. Some of those women, as well as plenty of men, are choosing chemistry. Chemistry is the study of matter—all the stuff that makes up the world. Chemists study tiny particles of matter and how they work together.

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WOMEN IN CHEMISTRY

Some chemists study organic matter, which makes up living things. Others study matter that makes up nonliving things. And others study how matter changes and interacts with other matter. Women work in all these fields of chemistry. People who are attracted to careers in science typically have questions about the world they want to answer, and they find that using the scientific method is a good way to answer them. They like coming up with uncertainties about our world, then researching and possibly answering those questions. Careers in science just make sense for those who tend to think scientifically.

Many chemists work in the pharmaceutical industry.

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CAREERS IN CHEMISTRY

Some chemists work in laboratories and manufacturing plants, while others spend a lot of time outdoors, conducting research. Some are employed by universities, researching or teaching. Being a chemist is a great career because you can find job opportunities in so many different industries. The more places that you can work, the better your chances of finding a job. Chemists are employed by pharmaceutical companies, energy companies, and other businesses. They work in the automotive industry, for NASA and private space exploration companies, and for hospitals and research laboratories. Some people choose chemistry as a career because it’s a way to help make the world a better place. Humans as a whole live better lives because of chemistry. Chemists discover new medicines. They research and come up with new sources of energy. And they devise ways to get rid of pollution.

Some chemists conduct research outdoors. In this photo, an environmental chemist collects samples to assess the water quality of a stream.

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