10 famous women in STEM

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Collectively, these outline the distinct yet relatable technical disciplines associated with STEM. Professions that fall under these practices spread over a variety of different core areas. In this blog - I’m going to take a look at some of the most famous names within STEM and hype up these individuals, as every single one of them have brought something different to the field. 

Oh and did I mention they’re all women?

Let’s kick things off with a simple girl from West Virginia who loved to count. A woman with unprecedented positivity within STEM and a woman who changed the industry forever. 

1. Katherine Johnson

Born in 1918 in rural West Virginia, Katherine Johnson’s love for mathematics was inherent. An inclination she had from birth. Johnson excelled all the way through college. Particularly within the field of mathematics. 

Johnson ended up teaching after college; at that time, teaching was the only option for her in her community. She left teaching to marry and start her family. When her husband fell ill in 1952, she began to teach again. 

And then one day, at a family function in the 1950s, a relative mentioned to Johnson that the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the predecessor to NASA, was hiring. 

Johnson worked at the agency until 1986, when she retired after 33 years of service. During her tenure at NASA, Johnson received many prestigious awards. Among them were the NASA Lunar Orbiter Award and three NASA Special Achievement Awards. She was named Mathematician of the Year in 1997 by the National Technical Association.

Johnson died at the age of 101 back in 2020 with her loved ones by her side. Her impact on STEM will never be forgotten. 

2. Radia Perlman

Perlman wasn’t always a fan of technology. Growing up, she had other interests. And now? Perlman is known as the “mother of the internet”. Perlman has received many honours in her field. In 2004, she was named Inventor of the Year by the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association. She was also inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame in 2014. 

What helped her cultivate her personal philosophy is this: “That people shouldn’t have to understand technology in order to use it.”

Most importantly, Perlman uses her success to encourage young women to participate in STEM. 

3. Rebecca Cole

Rebecca Cole was an American physician, organisation founder, and social reformer. She became the second African-American woman to become a doctor in the United States and is known for her many achievements within that field.

Dr. Cole attended the Institute for Colored Youth where she learned Latin, Greek, and Mathematics. She was a quick learner in all areas of mathematics and language. 

Right up until her death in 1922, her legacy inspired millions of women wanting to pursue careers in STEM.That legacy lives on as an inspiration and role model for all women in science, even today. 

4. Joan Clarke

Joan Clarke was a British mathematician best known for her role in cracking the Enigma Code during WWII. The Enigma Machine was used by the German military to communicate amongst each other. Joan single handedly thwarted this through her knowledge of the intricate systems that were used.

Clarke was recruited to work alongside Alan Turing at Bletchley Park, the British codebreaking HQ, after winning a Double First in Mathematics from Cambridge.

Her contribution to cracking the Enigma Code saved countless lives and is said to have shortened the war by at least two years.

5. Susan Kare

Kare is an influential graphic designer who has been instrumental in building the online world we live in today. When you go on the internet today like 99% of the world does - it’s pretty likely that Susan kare had something to do with it

She designed the original Macintosh Icons in 1983 including the save icon, the watch, the trash bin and many more. She went on to design for Microsoft, Facebook and now Pinterest. 

6. Florence Nightingale

Known as the founder of modern nursing, Nightingale transcended the medical profession throughout the 19th century. Nightingale was born into a wealthy family and received a good education.

All she wanted to do was help others and so nursing became a priority. Little did she know at the time just how influential she would end up being within STEM. She specifically used statistics and graphs to measure and show how to reduce infections within the medical industry. 

Even today - The Florence Nightingale Medal is the highest international distinction a nurse can achieve and was named in her honour. She is commonly known as one of the most famous women in science. 

7. Irene Au

Irene Au is one of the more modern influences in the world of STEM. Au works with portfolio companies to raise the strategic value of design and user research through better methods, practices, processes, leadership, and quality. 

Additionally, Irene teaches yoga and mediation, and is the co-chair at Bowman International School in Palo Alto, California.

Most recently - In 2006, Irene joined Google and led  the user experience team for six years. She was also responsible for the design and research for all Google-branded products worldwide. 

8. Roberta Bondar

Let’s take STEM one step further. Bondar is the woman solely responsible for creating the concept of STEAM. Adding Art into the mix. 

STEAM recognizes the importance of including Art in how we learn about, observe and think about the world. This integration allows us to explore the world and ourselves in unique ways. Seeing the world from multiple perspectives is a skill that is practised within all of Bondars programs. 

The variety of her experiences, including her medical background, experience as an astronaut, and training in fine art photography, have directly influenced the type of programming that is developed.

We are driven by our need to see and experience the world through multiple vantage points, as Dr. Bondar continues to do so and inspires others to do so.

9. Ginni Rometty

IBM’s first female CEO. Ginni Rometty began her career with IBM in 1981 as a systems engineer and worked her way to the top. She’s never looked back. 

Rometty invested in high value segments of the IT market that would directly help IBM and optimised the company’s portfolio. 

Under Rometty’s leadership, IBM built out key capabilities in hybrid cloud, security, quantum computing, industry expertise, and data and AI, both organically and through acquisition. 

10. Adriana Ocampo

Ocampo is a planetary geologist originally born and raised in Colombia. Based on her research, the discovery of the Chicxulub impact crater was made in the 1970’s, the meteor that likely ended the dinosaurs. 

Today, she helps manage the Science Program at NASA and leads their robotics missions. In 2015, Adriana was named one of the Top 50 most important women in science.You cannot think of STEM and leave Ocampo out of that conversation. 

The importance of these women in STEM

There you have it! Some of the most influential and relevant women within STEM. But it doesn’t stop there. I could have created a far longer list with far more women. Sometimes the recognition gets overlooked and I’m here to try my best in eliminating that stigma. From Rebecca Cole way back in the mid 1800’s to Adriana Ocampo changing lives today in 2023 - the positive impact that these women have had spans centuries. 

We can all learn a lot from what these women have accomplished and I think it’s of utmost importance to generate as much exposure as possible for the new generation of women aspiring to lead, work and inspire others within STEM. 

The future’s bright, folks!