UPDATE, February 2025: This articles has been updated to link to the latest version of Perimeter's online resources. Checkout https://resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/collections/posters to see all of Perimeter's free to download posters including the ones referenced in this article.
UPDATE, October 2018: To commemorate Jocelyn Bell Burnell's public lecture at Perimeter, and Donna Strickland's 2018 Nobel Prize win, we have commemorated Bell Burnell and Strickland with new Forces of Nature posters! Download them and all our free science posters from our Poster Gallery!
The first computer algorithm. Stellar classification systems. The discovery of new elements, forces, and other building blocks of nature.
Such fundamental discoveries have shaped our understanding of the universe and ourselves. Many were made by women who pursued their research in the face of gender discrimination and did not get the recognition they deserved.
Women have been historically under-represented in physics; progress is happening, but there is much work to be done. Systemic and cultural barriers still exist. Part of making positive change includes celebrating the contributions women have made to science, especially those women overlooked in their time. That’s why Perimeter Institute has created the “Forces of Nature” poster series.
Download them. Print them. Share them. Post them in classrooms, dorm rooms, living rooms, offices, and physics departments. Talk about these women. Share their stories.
Claudia Alexander
Dr. Claudia Alexander was a specialist in geophysics and planetary science, the last project manager of NASA's Galileo mission to Jupiter, and served as a project manager and scientist for NASA on the European-led Rosetta mission to land a spacecraft on a comet. She was also a fierce advocate for women and minorities in science.
Vera Rubin
Vera Rubin was a legendary astronomer who discovered that galaxies have flat rotation curves, the strongest evidence yet for dark matter. This discovery has driven physics theory and experiment for more than 40 years. She also spent her life advocating for women in science and mentored many aspiring female astronomers.
Vivienne Malone-Mayes
Vivienne Malone-Mayes was one of the first African-American women to earn a PhD in mathematics. An active participant in the civil rights movement, Malone-Mayes fought persistent racism and sexism throughout her long and distinguished career.
Forces of Nature
Women have made some of the most important discoveries in science. Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer. Chien-Shiung Wu was a leading experimental physicist of her time. Emmy Noether's work in symmetry and conservation underpins much of modern physics. Annie Jump Cannon led the development of stellar classification systems. Marie Skłodowska Curie made revolutionary contributions to physics and chemistry. These women were forces of nature.
Want to download posters featuring Ada Lovelace, Chien-Shiung Wu, Emmy Noether, Annie Jump Cannon, and Marie Skłodowska Curie from our first set? They're still available! Download all of the posters here: https://resources.perimeterinstitute.ca/collections/posters
Poster didn't arrive? Let us know! Email contact (at) perimeterinstitute.ca
Further exploration
About PI
Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.
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