For generations, women pursuing research careers haven’t just encountered challenges, they’ve run into walls, facing barriers that might seem unsurmountable by today’s standards. Yet, when met with roadblocks, these trailblazers created completely new roads. In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re sharing some of the many obstacles women in science have had to overcome, and celebrating some of the pioneers who shattered those barriers.
Hidden barriers that tried to keep women out of science
Luckily, some of these hurdles are difficult to imagine today (like wearing corsets and long skirts in the lab), but the specters of some still loom in the current landscape.
- No right to their own wages. Marriage laws meant a woman’s earnings legally belonged to her husband. Even single women had little financial independence, making it nearly impossible to fund their own research.
- Unpaid “volunteers.” While men in labs and universities earned salaries, women were often only allowed to work for free. Without financial support, long-term careers in science were out of reach.
- Locked out of professional networks. Many scientific societies simply didn’t accept women, cutting them off from journals, conferences, and career opportunities. Even when they did publish research, male colleagues sometimes took the credit.
- No access to lab space or equipment. Universities frequently denied women entry to their labs, forcing some to set up makeshift workspaces at home or rely on male allies willing to share resources.
- Restrictive dress codes. Long skirts, corsets, and other impractical clothing made it difficult and sometimes even dangerous to work in fields like chemistry and biology.
- Pressure to give up science. Women were expected to prioritize marriage and family over their careers. Those who pursued science anyway risked being labeled "unfeminine" or socially isolated.
- Pseudoscience used against them. Some academics claimed that too much studying would harm women’s reproductive health, fueling arguments that higher education and research were "bad" for them.
- No funding opportunities. Research grants and fellowships were almost always awarded to men, leaving women with few options outside of rare private benefactors.
- Forced career breaks (or exits). Many institutions had policies that required women to resign if they got married or pregnant, effectively ending their careers.
Breaking down doors: How women pushed forward in science
Despite these obstacles, women found ways to do the work they loved, often bending the rules to make it happen. Here’s how some made their mark:
Accepting little or no pay to be in the lab. Since formal positions were often off-limits, many women worked as "assistants," or secretaries, volunteers just to get access.
Unable to afford college tuition, June Almeida (1930-2007) took a job as a hospital lab assistant and later a microscope technician, where she developed groundbreaking electron microscopy techniques and captured the first clear images of human coronaviruses.
Despite being only the second woman to receive a science PhD from the University of Vienna, Lise Meitner (1878-1968) was forced to work as an unofficial, unpaid assistant at Otto Hahn’s cellar radiochemistry lab. Meitner played a key role in discovering nuclear fission, despite being overshadowed by Otto Hahn.
Seeking education where they could. Women’s colleges and international programs became lifelines for those shut out of traditional universities.
When women were banned from enrolling in university in Poland, Marie Curie (1867-1934) began attending a secret, illegal school held at night in private homes, called the “Floating University.”
Collaborating up with male allies. Some found support from male colleagues who helped publish their work or shared lab space.
Gerty Cori (1896-1957), a biochemist, worked alongside her husband on groundbreaking research in carbohydrate metabolism. While he was promoted to department chair, she was a research fellow, earning just 10% of his salary despite performing similar work. She later became the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Caroline Herschel (1750-1848) served as her brother’s assistant for years, until becoming an astronomer in her own right and the first woman to discover a comet. When King George III officially employed her as William's assistant, her newly bestowed modest salary made her the first woman paid for scientific services.
Standing up for gender inequality. When institutions wouldn’t provide women with equal resources, credit, or support, many women spoke up.
After years of fighting for equality in the lab, molecular biologist Nancy Hopkins (1943-) was forced to crawl around the MIT lab at night with a tape measure to gain proof that her male colleagues had significantly more lab space. In 1994, she and 15 other female faculty members presented evidence of systemic discrimination, leading to a groundbreaking 1999 report in which MIT publicly admitted to gender bias, which was an unprecedented acknowledgment in academia.
Funding their own research. With official grants out of reach, many relied on personal wealth, family support, or rare benefactors.
Besides surviving a lightning strike at 15 months old, paleontologist Mary Anning (1799-1847) sold her valuable fossil collection to museums to fund her work.
Banned from attending university, Rita Levi-Montalcini funded her own neuroscience research on nerve growth factor in a makeshift lab in her bedroom during World War II, later earning a Nobel Prize.
Creating their own institutions. Some women took matters into their own hands, founding schools and research centers.
Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) became the first U.S. woman to earn a medical degree (after being admitted as a practical joke) and co-founded the New York Infirmary for Women and Children.
Sophia Jex-Blake (1840-1912) established the London School of Medicine for Women after being rejected by British medical schools.
Paving the way for future generations
Despite the extraordinary obstacles they faced, these pioneers persisted, reshaping the scientific landscape and paving the way for future generations. While much progress has been made, their stories serve as a reminder of the importance of continuing to advocate for gender equity in science today.
These women in science didn’t wait for doors to open, they found their own ways in. And because of them, the path is clearer for those who follow. At ZAGENO, we are grateful for their resilience and groundbreaking contributions. Honoring their achievements not only preserves their legacies but also inspires future generations to push boundaries and drive scientific innovation.
