Women in science

NASA once celebrated her, then fired her, and then tried to erase her story: The rise and fall of Rose Ferreira

22:06 01/09/2025

Rose Ferreira overcame extreme poverty, homelessness, and health challenges to achieve her dream of working at NASA. Despite facing gender expectations in the Dominican Republic and later setbacks, including termination amid shifting priorities, she earned an astronomy degree and contributed to space science. Now, she advocates for diversity in STEM, mentoring underrepresented students and driving policy changes to promote inclusivity.

She worked at Harvard for 30 cents an hour, her work shaped our understanding of the universe, but never won a Nobel Prize

16:06 20/08/2025

Henrietta Swan Leavitt worked as a Harvard “computer” earning just 30 cents an hour, yet her groundbreaking discovery of the period-luminosity relationship transformed astronomy. Her work enabled scientists to measure cosmic distances and understand the expanding universe. Despite this monumental contribution, Leavitt never received a Nobel Prize during her lifetime, highlighting the challenges faced by women in science.