Lessons in Chemistry is a richly imagined alternate history of scientific research at the forefront of molecular biology in the 1960s. The central protagonist rarely receives sufficient credit for her discoveries; colleagues and supervisors discount her because of her gender.
Kirstin and I both trained in a department that was still populated by several of the octogenarian luminaries who originally published research like that reimagined by Lessons in Chemistry. And for nearly a decade, one of these luminaries had invariably asked the department’s sole woman professor to serve everyone tea.
Even as our community progresses toward greater equality, it’s essential that we recognize this history. The opportunities for contemporary women scientists did not come easily: they were fought for by people like my graduate-school advisor, who during her own postdoctoral research routinely worked through the holidays, knowing that she’d be denied opportunities if she were merely as good as...