Lost Women of Science is a podcast that showcases "groundbreaking women who never got the full recognition they deserved—until now." The podcast just put out a call, seeking ideas for future episodes. They tweeted, "Here at Lost Women of Science, it is our goal to rescue female scientists from the jaws of obscurity. If there's a woman you're aware of who achieved something remarkable but has been omitted from the historical record, leave a brief message at (415) 754-0625!"
Their website explains more about the organization:
The Lost Women of Science Initiative is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with two related missions: To tell the forgotten stories of female scientists who made groundbreaking achievements in their fields and to inspire girls and young women to embark on careers in STEM.
The Initiative's flagship is the Lost Women of Science podcast, which, through deep reporting and rich storytelling, revisits the historical record one extraordinary scientist at a time.
They've produced three seasons so far. Season One, "The Pathologist in the Basement," is about Dorothy Anderson, a physician and pathologist. The podcast website explains that Anderson:
solved a medical mystery when she identified and defined cystic fibrosis in 1938. A passionate outdoorswoman, a "rugged individualist" and a bit of an enigma, Andersen changed the way we understand acute lung and gastrointestinal problems in young children.
Season Two is about Klára Dán von Neumann. The podcast website explains the focus of this season:
The first modern-style code executed on a computer was written in the 1940s by a woman named Klára Dán von Neumann–or Klári to her family and friends. And the historic program she wrote was used to optimize nuclear weapons. This season, we dive into this fascinating moment in postwar America through Klári's work. We explore the evolution of early computers, the vital role women played in early programming, and the inescapable connection between computing and war.
And Season Three is about Yvonne Y. Clark, who is also known as "The First Lady of Engineering." The podcast website explains that Clark is known for
her groundbreaking achievements as a Black female mechanical engineer. Season 3 of Lost Women of Science traces her trajectory, from her unconventional childhood interest in fixing appliances to civil rights breakthroughs in the segregated South; from her trailblazing role at historically Black colleges and universities to her work at NASA. What can YY teach us about what it means to be the first in a scientific field, especially as a Black woman in America?
