My daughter, Heather (who's 6), asked me tonight 'Is it true that girls can't be scientists?' She had overheard a boy at school saying this to one of the girls. Now this made me a bit angry, because I've worked with many women in my science career, although it has to be said that less than half of the supervisor/ senior lecturer level are women.
Why this attitude should remain is a mystery, and I hope to find out. To start with, though, for Heather's benefit, I will try and collate biographies of female scientists. The obvious candidates among the great will be part of this blog. Marie Curie, of course, and Dorothy Hogdkinson, Caroline Hershell, Jane Goodall, Madame Lavoisier and several others.
It's rather sad that this blog has to be written at all. It should be rather like writing about blue eyed scientists. But it isn't.
