We honor the achievements these five women contribute to science and humanity. Their curiosity has advanced the studies of anthropology, astronomy, biology, and medicine.
Diane Z. Chase, Ph.D., University of Central Florida
Her anthropological and archaeological research, reconstructing ancient Maya civilization with fieldwork and technology, illuminates relationships of these people and their environment. Dr. Chase's work on the ancient Maya earned the University of Central Florida’s highest faculty honor for which she was elected to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, opens a new window.
M. Darby Dyar, Ph.D., Mount Holyoke College
The primary goal of Darby Dyar's research is to find how hydrogen and oxygen are distributed through our solar system, especially on the Earth, Moon, Mars, and the parent bodies of meteorites. She studies rocks from localities on Earth, from the deep oceans to Antarctica, and lunar rocks and meteorite samples.
Dr. Dyar received her Ph.D. in geochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Erin (Misty) Paig-Tran, Ph.D., California State University, Fullerton
Dr. Paig-Tran studies marine biology, especially animal performance and ecological morphology (how an animal's form is related to where it lives). Her lab focuses on functional morphology and comparative biomechanics of marine systems, such as filter-feeding in large sharks, rays, and skates.
She received her PhD. from the University of Washington.
Suzanne E. Smrekar, Ph.D., Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech Deputy Principal Investigator, InSight Mars Lander
The Insight Mars Lander, opens a new window studies the deep interior of the planet Mars. She researches mantle upwelling and tectonic processes to understand the evolutionary paths of Venus, Mars, and Earth. Dr. Smrekar received her Ph.D. in geophysics from Southern Methodist University.
Kristin Zhao, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic
Dr. Zhao uses technology, device fabrication, and imaging methods to investigate diseases related to the musculoskeletal system. The long-term goal of Dr. Zhao's research team is to develop and use diagnostic tools for earlier diagnosis and interventions for those with disabilities and diseases.
Books on Women in Science
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
Radioactive! How Irene Curie and Lise Meitner Revolutionized Science and Changed the World
100 Women Who Made History: Remarkable Women Who Shaped Our World
Add a comment to: Celebrate Women in Science for Women’s History Month, March 2020