Marie Curie is a double-Nobel Prize winning scientist and often the first name mentioned when the topic of women in science comes up. Neuroscientist-turned-designer Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya admits even she struggled to think of female scientists beyond Marie Curie, but there are plenty of women the history books forgot about.
Phingbodhipakkiya joins host Frank Stasio to talk about what started as a Kickstarter campaign to promote women in science and how it evolved into an interactive exhibit called “Beyond Curie: A Celebration of Women in Science.” Phingbodhipakkiya‘s vivid illustrations show the human side of these women. Each of the 40 scientists featured has a remarkable story: Nobel Prize winner YouYou Tu helped find a cure for malaria. Phingbodhipakkiya says the Chinese scientist proved one should never “be afraid to retread old ground for new insight.” Most know Mae Jemison as an astronaut, but she is also a dancer and actress. One of the few items she took into orbit was an Alvin Ailey dance poster, which was her reminder to bring your authentic self to your work. The accompanying app allows the experience to continue long after leaving the exhibit, which is currently on view at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh through December 2018.