Margaret Burbidge: What Is The Role Of Women In Astronomy?
Throughout history women have not had a large impact in astronomy, a field always predominantly made up of men. However, in the last decade or so, the amount of women involved in astronomy has doubled, growing large enough that one in three potential astronomers is female. Membership surveys of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) show that a drastic increase has occurred in the involvement of women in astronomy. The AAS survey showed that between 1980 and 1990 the amount of women in the society doubled, leading to a 36% total of female astronomers in the AAS. Except for a slightly higher percentage of women working academic jobs, there is no deviation in jobs based on gender, and male and female astronomers seem to be moving to permanent
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In the 1940s, Margaret entered the field of astronomy while working on discovering the chemical composition of stars. In 1947, Burbidge was rejected from a Carnegie Fellowship at Mt. Wilson Observatory because she was a woman, therefore banned from working there. However, she actually accomplished much of her work at Mt. Wilson, pretending to be her husband’s assistant and signing his name to use the equipment. For years Margaret worked as a chemist instead of an astronomer because of nepotism rules not allowing her to be hired where her husband was employed. However, she overcame the difficulties and has made great contributions in the understanding of quasars, questioned the Big Bang theory, helped develop the technology for the Hubble Space Telescope, and was the first woman to serve as Director of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich from 1972-1973. Margaret was the Director of the UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences from 1979-1988. Margaret has currently received twelve honorary degrees along with numerous honors; she also was one of four authors of the cosmogonic contribution. She has been honored frequently for both her work in the field in astronomy, and the help she contributed in ending discrimination against
In the 1940s, Margaret entered the field of astronomy while working on discovering the chemical composition of stars. In 1947, Burbidge was rejected from a Carnegie Fellowship at Mt. Wilson Observatory because she was a woman, therefore banned from working there. However, she actually accomplished much of her work at Mt. Wilson, pretending to be her husband’s assistant and signing his name to use the equipment. For years Margaret worked as a chemist instead of an astronomer because of nepotism rules not allowing her to be hired where her husband was employed. However, she overcame the difficulties and has made great contributions in the understanding of quasars, questioned the Big Bang theory, helped develop the technology for the Hubble Space Telescope, and was the first woman to serve as Director of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich from 1972-1973. Margaret was the Director of the UCSD Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences from 1979-1988. Margaret has currently received twelve honorary degrees along with numerous honors; she also was one of four authors of the cosmogonic contribution. She has been honored frequently for both her work in the field in astronomy, and the help she contributed in ending discrimination against