Many girls want to become scientists when they grow up, just like many boys do. But for these girls, the struggle to do what they love and to be treated with respect has been much harder because of the discrimination and bias in our society. In Women in Microbiology, we meet women who, despite these obstacles and against tough odds, have become scientific leaders and revered mentors. The women profiled in this collection range from historic figures like Alice Catherine Evans and Ruth Ella Moore to modern heroes like Michele Swanson and Katrina Forest.
What binds all of these remarkable women are a passion for their work, a zest for life, a warm devotion to mentoring others - especially younger women - and a sense of justice and fairness that they are willing to fight tirelessly to obtain. Each story is unique, but each woman featured in Women in Microbiology has done so much to expand our knowledge of the natural world while also making it easier for the next generation of scientists to work collaboratively and in an atmosphere where people are judged by their intellect, imagination, skill, and commitment to service regardless of gender or race.
Women in Microbiology is a wonderful collection of stories that will inspire everyone, but especially young women and men who are wondering how to find their way in the working world. Some of the names are familiar and some are lesser known, but all of the stories arouse a sense of excitement, driven by tales of new, important scientific insights, stories of overcoming adversity and breaking boundaries, and the inclusion of personal tips and advice from successful careers. These stories are proof that a person can live a balanced and passionate life in science that is rich and rewarding.
Table of Contents
Contributors
Foreword–Congresswoman Louise Slaughter xv
Prefaces
From Rachel J. Whitaker xvii
From Hazel A. Barton xix
About the Editors xxiii
1 The Group Accomplishes More than the Individual 1
Bonnie L. Bassler
2 Exploring the Living Infinite 9
Antje Boetius
3 Oceans of Prochlorococcus 19
Sallie “Penny” Chisholm
4 Catalyst of a Quiet Revolution 29
Margaret Dayhoff
5 A Pioneer Among South American Scientists 37
Johanna Döbereiner
6 A Path of Creativity, Persistence, and Rigorous Testing 49
Diana Downs
7 A Force of Nature 57
Nicole Dubilier
8 A Force in the World of Environmental Microbiology 65
Katrina J. Edwards
9 The Shoulders Upon Which So Many Stand 75
Alice Catherine Evans
10 Groundbreaking Journey of a Microbial Matriarch 87
Mary K. Firestone
11 Turbulence and Triumph 99
Lady Amalia Fleming
12 A Renaissance Woman in Microbiology 105
Katrina T. Forest
13 Unlocking the Genetic Code of Emerging Outbreaks 113
Elodie Ghedin
14 A Woman of Grace and Acerbic Wit 121
Jane Gibson
15 Scarred Pioneer and Protector of the Biosphere 125
Millicent C. Goldschmidt
16 An Exceptional Scientist and Mentor 137
Susan Gottesman
17 Free Spirit 147
Carlyn Halde
18 Adviser, Teacher, Role Model, Friend 159
Jo Handelsman
19 With Grace, Enthusiasm, and True Grit 171
Caroline Harwood
20 Lifelong Mentor 183
Marian Johnson-Thompson
21 Salt of the Earth 193
Carol D. Litchfield
22 The First African-American to Earn a Ph.D. in the Natural Sciences 207
Ruth E. Moore
23 The Winding Path of a Brilliant Scientific Life 213
Nancy A. Moran
24 Ensuring That No Knowledge Is Ever Lost 219
Flora Patterson
25 Creativity through Freedom 233
Felicitas Pfeifer
26 An Early Mycologist 237
Beatrix Potter
27 An Almost Unbeatable Force 243
Abigail Salyers
28 Enthusiasm and Insight in the World of Archaea 253
Christa Schleper
29 An Early Voice for Bacterial Biochemical Experimenters 257
Marjory Stephenson
30 A Rewarding Career and Life in Balance 269
Michele Swanson
31 Broken Vials and Urgency 283
The Legacy of Patricia Ann Webb
32 It’s Never Too Late to Bloom 295
Donna M. Wolk
33 Pioneer in Microbial Genetics 305
Esther Miriam Zimmer Lederberg
34 Women Microbiologists at Rutgers in the Early Golden Age of Antibiotics 317
