Women in Science (Ignotofsky)

Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
Rachel Ignotofsky, 2017
Ten Speed Press
128 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781607749769


Summary
It's a scientific fact: Women rock!

A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world.

Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary.

The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.
 
Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!  (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—ca. 1989-90
• Where—the State of New Jersey, USA
• Education—Tyler School of Art
• Currently—lives in Kansas City, Missouri


Rachel Ignotofsky grew up in New Jersey. In 2011 she graduated with honors from Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where she went to work as a graphic designer for Hallmark cards, all the while continuing her own freelance work.

In early 2015, one her projects was featured by Instagram in honor of International Women’s Day. Over the course of a few days, the post went viral, jumping from 1,500 to 43,000 viewers, and Rachel decided to quit Hallmark.

That project was "Women In Science,” featuring often unknown women who played important roles in the history of science. Just over a year later, in July of 2016, her project was published in book form—Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World. It became a New York Times bestseller.

Inspired by both science and history, Rachel has a passion for using art to make complicated, dense material accessible and engaging. She sees her work as a way to enhance learning and increase scientific literacy—and especially to spread the word that science is an open path for women. (Adapted from the author's website.)

Book Reviews
In this wittily illustrated, accessible volume, Rachel Ignotofsky highlights 50 women who changed the course of science
Wall Street Journal


I applaud Ignotofsky and her publisher for telling these important stories about women through such a rich, visual medium. The world needs more books like this.
Scientific American (online)


With the help of eye-catching artwork, Ignotofsky celebrates not just astronauts, but also the engineers, biologists, mathematicians, and physicists who’ve blazed a trail for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields from the ancient to modern world. The book elevates this information with beautiful and instructive infographics that delve into topics like the number of women currently working in STEM fields.
Entertainment Weekly (online)


With short, inspiring stories and the accessibility of a graphic novel. . .the perfect book to share with the science- and tech-minded people (male and female, young and old) in your life. . . .The must-read, girl-power STEM book.
InStyle.com


[A]n illustrated homage to some of the most influential and inspiring women in STEM.… Ignotofsky captures the heartbreaking inequalities that only amplify the impressiveness of these women’s feats (Greatest Science Books of 2016).
Maria Popova - BrainPickings.org


[A] clever introduction to women scientists through history (Best Science Books of 2016).
Science Friday


True fact: This book is so cool that I had to go steal it back from my fifth grade daughter to review it… this book perfectly balances well-researched facts with gorgeous, whimsical illustrations making it a favorite you just can’t put down.
Cool Mom Picks

Discussion Questions
We'll add publisher questions if and when they're available; in the meanwhile, use our LitLovers talking points to help start a discussion for Women in Science…then take off on your own:

1. Perhaps the best place to start any discussion for this book is to have each member of your group select a favorite scientist. Talk about her journey, as well as her work and its contribution to the field.

2. Discuss the number of women entering STEM jobs today—compared to men. Why have women historically been underrepresented in the sciences, and to what degree is that changing (you might do some research to gather the latest statistics)? Recall the famous (or infamous) Larry Summers remark in 2005: the then-president of Harvard attempted to explain science's gender gap by pointing to "issues of intrinsic aptitude." What do you think?

3. Follow-up to Question 2: What barriers did the women in Rachel Ignotofsky's book face? To what extent have those barriers changed in the 21st century? What did it take for women in previous eras to succeed in science; what did they give up to follow their passions? What does it take today?

4. Talk about Rachel Ignotofsky's use of art to open up science and make it more exciting. Do you find her book enlightening or inspirational? The book's target is primarily girls; to what extent is it also of value to adults?

5. How much did you know about the accomplishments of women in science before reading Ignotofsky's book? Were you aware, specifically, of any of them? Were some whom you know of left out? What surprised you most? Who surprised you most?

(Questions by LitLovers. Please feel free to use them, online or off, with attribution. Thanks.)

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