Can you name 5 Women Scientists?

To my extreme embarrassment, I can only do a complete 5, without looking anything up, in molecular biology and neuroscience (I didn't include Marie Curie or Rosalind Franklin because they were too easy).:

1. Linda Buck, Molecular Biologist, currently at Howard Hughes. Recently go the Nobel Prize for work on the olfactory system (although she recently had to retract a paper, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal. The bulk of her work has stood up to pressure.)

2. Vivian Budnik, University of Massachusets. Neuroscientist. Studies addiction pathways and protein signalling.

3. Eve Marder, Biologist and Neuroscientist, Brandeis. Pioneering work in neural circuitry formation and emergent rhythms. As a side note, I saw her moderate a discussion with the Dali Lama at the AAAS meeting in DC a few years ago.

4. Nora Volkow, current head of the National Institute for Drug Addiction (NIDA) at the NIH. Did brain imaging to examine the role of addiction as a brain disease. Travels extensively internationally.

5. Karen Gale, neuroscientist, Georgetown. Studies basal ganglia, thalamus and limbic system expression of GABA receptors, and has been influential in analysis of epileptic rat models.

6 (with cheating) Mary Beckerle, Executive Director of the Huntsman Cancer Center (Salt Lake City) Dept. of Biology. Also a professor at the U of Utah and an expert on cell adhesion and motility.

Other incomplete lists:

Physics: Wendy Freedman, currently director of the Carnegie Obervatories. Helped being insight about the rapid expansion of the universe.

Lisa Randall, Theoretical physicist and author. Recently appeared on the Colbert Report (Feb.12)

Planetary Science: Candice Hansen, JPL, recently part of the team that discovered an avalanche on Mars.

Gorilla Studies: Jane Goodall(obvious)

Anthropology: Diane Fossey, Mary Leakey

By the way, just looking at the most recent issues of Science and Nature, there are at least 39 women listed as authors of papers (it's hard to be sure).

I am proud to be one of several authors of an outstanding set of multicultural biographies for young readers called "Women's Adventures in Science from the Joseph Henry Press imprint of the National Academies Press.

Here are the books and their titles. Included is a link to my website, including the research behind the book, Heidi Hammel's Astronomy FAQ, reviews, and updates to Heidi's work since the book appeared.

Bone Detective: The Story of Forensic Anthropologist Diane France By Lorraine Jean Hopping

Gorilla Mountain: The Story of Wildlife Biologist Amy Vedder By Rene Ebersole

Beyond Jupiter: The Story of Planetary Astronomer Heidi Hammel By Fred Bortz

Strong Force: The Story of Physicist Shirley Ann Jackson By Diane O'Connell

Forecast Earth: The Story of Climate Scientist Inez Fung By Renee Skelton

Space Rocks: The Story of Planetary Geologist Adriana Ocampo By Lorraine Jean Hopping

Robo World: The Story of Robot Designer Cynthia Breazeal By Jordan D. Brown

People Person: The Story of Sociologist Marta Tienda By Diane O'Connell

Gene Hunter: The Story of Neuropsychologist Nancy Wexler By Adele Glimm

Nature's Machines: The Story of Biomechanist Mimi Koehl By Deborah Parks

Fred Bortz -- Science and technology books for young readers (www.fredbortz.com) and Science book reviews (www.scienceshelf.com)