Meeting of the Princeton ACS Section
Wednesday, September 28, 2022
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
at the
Princeton Public Library
“Where were Women in Chemistry in the 1600s?”
Michelle DiMeo, Science History Institute
Biography: Michelle DiMeo is Vice President of Collections and Programs at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, where she oversees the library and museum. She is an historian of early modern science and medicine and the author of Lady Ranelagh: The Incomparable Life of Robert Boyle’s Sister(University of Chicago Press, 2021). Dr. DiMeo has taught at the University of Pennsylvania, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Lehigh University, and the University of Warwick, where she received her PhD in History and English.
Abstract: “Where were Women in Chemistry in the 1600s?” The answer might not be what you think! While previous historical accounts purported that women were excluded from practicing early science due to limited educational opportunities and an inability to participate in professional institutions, recent research suggests that there were more opportunities for women than we previously realized. This talk will give an overview of women’s scientific practices across the seventeenth century – a supposed turning point for when chemistry became modernized and women were excluded from the field. By contrasting the remarkable lives of two prolific women scientists of the 17th century - Lady Margaret Cavendish and Lady Katherine Ranelagh – this talk will reveal two opposing pathways for women who worked with the Founding Fellows of the Royal Society. Based on these two women’s biographies, Dr. DiMeo will offer a reflection on how early modern social conventions have made it challenging for historians today to find evidence of and to recreate these women’s untold stories.
Reservations: The meeting will take place at the Princeton Public Library, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, NJ 08542. Library parking is available in the Spring Street Garage located adjacent to the library. Drivers may enter the lot from Spring Street or through the library access driveway (Sylvia Beach Way) off Wiggins Street. Take a paper ticket when entering. Library cardholders may have their tickets validated for up to 2 hours of free parking when they visit the library. Other visitors receive 30 minutes of free parking if they use the Spring Street Garage. For more information about the library go to https://princetonlibrary.org/.
Library Covid 19 Policy: The standard covid policy of the library is that masks are optional, and proof of vaccination, is not required. Mask wearing is optional.Attendance is free but reservations are required.
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