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Science has been a male-dominated field of study since its inception. The majority of scientific theory and doctrine can be traced back to white men. For centuries men excluded women from participating in science. Science itself was against women from the beginning, men deemed women biologically inferior and unfit to participate in science. The aspect of women participating in science was seen as frivolous and not at all a serious prospect until at least the early 20th century. Around this time we began to see women making incredible contributions to scientific study, forcing themselves into the field. The feminist critique of science analyzes the exclusionary aspects of science, the prospect of female accomplishments in science not being taken seriously, as well as the idea of “female” science. It also seeks to highlight the importance of women in science and the vital contributions women make. Perhaps no one embodies the spirit of women in science like Marie Curie. She was able to make massive breakthroughs in a field dominated by white men, and simultaneously changed the perception of women’s’ place in science forever.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, science was was still a white man’s world. At the same time, important scientific discoveries with a huge impact on the future of fields like chemistry, physics, and biology were made. It was the perfect storm for Marie Curie. She burst onto the scene in 1903, when she won the Nobel Prize along with her husband and Henry Becquerel. Her work in developing a theory of radioactivity was a huge breakthrough for material science. More importantly, her contributions showed the world that women could be a powerful force in science. Marie continued to revolutionize science when she one a solo Nobel Prize in 1911 for discovering and isolating polonium and radium. Marie became a champion of science and a legend, not just amongst women but throughout science as a whole. Her accomplishments validated the feminist perspective of science. Marie Curie exposed male bias and exclusionary practices in science and proved that women needed to be taken seriously as professional scientists.
Arguably, Marie Curie’s most important contribution to the feminist perspective of science was how she changed the perception of women in the field, and tore down the concept of “female science”. The feminist critique of science explains how women were viewed as emotional scientists, taking interests in environmental causes and other scientific areas perceived by men to be “less serious”. Curie won a Nobel Prize for physics and another one for chemistry. Chemistry and Physics are fields that are viewed as extremely important in the scientific community. Her impact on these two fields demanded respect from male peers and was instrumental in dismantling the idea of “female science”. Marie Curie opened the door for other women to make their own impact on science. Her accomplishments started a movement that saw women gain important roles as researches, professors, and scientists.
Marie Curie is a role model for women in science, and the importance of her contributions to scientific discovery as a whole can not be understated. Her achievements helped to spark a movement for women in science and gave credibility to feminist critiques of science. Despite all that Marie Curie achieved, and all the progress that has been made since she passed away, there are still many more hills to climb before women have a truly equal place in science. Curie was able to fight through a male-dominated field and established herself as a legend in the scientific community, while simultaneously changing the perception of women in science. Her efforts allow us to continue to advocate for women today and to have meaningful discourse about how science needs to change to be more accommodating moving forward.
Sources:
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1903/marie-curie/biographical/
https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/who/our-history/marie-curie-the-scientist