Journeys of Women in Science and Engineering: No Universal Constants (Labor And Social Change) [Paperback]

Susan A. Ambrose (Author), Kristin L. Dunkle (Author), Barbara B. Lazarus (Author), Indira Nair (Author), Deborah A. Harkus (Author)

Book Description

Series: Labor And Social Change | Publication Date: November 9, 1999

Today the image of the scientist is still that of a white man in a white lab coat. This book questions this stereotype and the assumption that the practitioners of science and engineering have a uniform look and follow one particular path through life. The scientists and engineers featured in this book are all women. They come from different races, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. They have different sexual orientations. Some have disabilities. The core of this important book is 88 profiles with photographs of women scientists and engineers whose diversity is stunning. "Journeys of Women in Science and Engineering" includes research scientists and engineers in areas from biochemistry to mathematics, from neuroscience to computer science, from animal science to civil engineering. It includes those who have made careers in public service people like Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the recent U.S. Surgeon General; Dr. Susan Love, the breast cancer activist; and Rhea L. Graham, the first woman and first African American director of the Bureau of Mines. It includes Nobel Prize winners, beginning assistant professors, division directors of corporations, and even an engineering school dean. The indexes by field of speciality make it easy for the reader to compare the life stories of, for example, all the chemical engineers or all the mathematicians. There is also an index by employment sector. The book begins with a thorough introduction to the history of women in science and engineering. Author note: Susan A. Ambrose is director of The Eberly Center for Teaching Excellence and Principal Lecturer, Department of History, at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. Kristin L. Dunkle is an independent scholar. Barbara B. Lazarus is Associate Provost of Academic Projects and Adjunct Professor, Department of History and the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management at Carnegie Mellon University. Indira Nair is Vice Provost for Education and Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. Deborah A. Harkus is currently working for NEXTLINK, a telecommunications carrier, in a project manager capacity to deploy new strategic technology.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a book to be savored, since each profile can be read separately and the book then set aside until one embarks on the next journey with these extraordinary and, at the same time, ordinary females." --Science Books & Films "...an impressive resource... Throughout the collection, the authors meet their double objective: to show the 'diverse journeys' that women scientists take in life and 'the joy of doing the work, the satisfaction of intellectual challenge and achievement, the excitement of discovery, creation, and service, and the fulfillment of a good life's work.' They show us and all considering a career in science and engineering honest pictures of the pleasures, the problems, and the price of those choices." --Harvard Educational Review "This book belongs in the middle or high school library and in the hands of any young woman interested in science." --The Science Teacher "Both famous and little-known, average women are included, confirming the ability to participate in scientific and engineering careers without being superwomen." --Feminist Collections

Product Details

• Paperback: 488 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (November 9, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566395283
• ISBN-13: 978-1566395281
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,041,951 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent inspiration for girls and women interested in science, December 18, 2010

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N.N. (Albuquerque, NM, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Journeys of Women in Science and Engineering: No Universal Constants (Labor And Social Change) (Paperback)

This book is a series of in-depth profiles of and interviews with women who have made careers in science and engineering. Some are highly successful, some, like Temple Grandin, faced unique challenges (autism, in her case), some are just regular people and the science or engineering career choice is only that, a good way to make a living and not the defining component of their identities. Because it was issued in limited numbers, only in hardback and mainly for institutional use, it used to be prohibitively expensive, but now that it's available for $14 or so, I think it's a great gift idea for any girl trying to choose a career path and considering any type of career not traditionally associated with women's work.