Can you name five female scientists from history?

Maybe you named one, or two. Chances are you remembered Marie Curie, the famed two-time Nobel Laureate whose work led to the discovery of radioactivity. Yet there are hundreds of female scientists whose work has been foundational to science as we know it today—but many people don’t know their names, their faces, or their achievements.

The neuroscientist-turned-designer Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya is on a mission to change that. Her project Beyond Curie is a series of graphic posters that highlight 32 female scientists from around the world—perfect for hanging in science classrooms.

“There’s such a rich history of women kicking ass in science, and very few people know about it. Researching their stories, it became really clear we’re standing on the shoulders of giants,” she says. “They were discouraged from getting an education, for fear it would hurt them as wives and mothers. But they persisted.  Their stories are inspiring and the world should know their names.”

LWL are Celebrating International Women’s Day!

IWD Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison

Mae Jemison was not only the first black woman to travel in space but also an accomplished engineer and physician. On September 12, 1992, she flew into space on the Shuttle Endeavour for mission STS-47. As mission specialist, she was responsible for conducting scientific experiments exploring weightlessness, motion sickness and bone cells while on the shuttle.