Women Scientists in America

''A splendid book . . . Rossiter's tone in recounting [the struggle of women scientists] is never strident. A clear enough case emerges from the sources that she skillfully weaves into a tapestry of social trends and individual experience.''-New York Times In this landmark study, Margaret Rossiter describes the activities and personalities of the numerous women scientists-astronomer, chemists, biologists, and psychologists-who overcame extraordinary obstacles to contribute to the growth of American science. This remarkable history recounts women's efforts to establish themselves as members of the scientific community and examines the forces which inhibited their active and visible participation in the sciences. ''Margaret Rossiter has given us a gripping, beautifully documented account of the struggles of early women scientists in America. It is a moving tribute to the efforts that paved the way for women scientists today.''-Women's Review of Books ''Necessary reading for all who seek to understand the sexual politics of science today. It illuminates how gender has influenced the development of science in this country and how and why our cultural values have followed us into the laboratory.''-Science ''Margaret Rossiter is certainly not the first to notice sexism in science, but she has made a convincing case for its blatancy. Faced with her evidence, no one can doubt that sexism was an accepted federal policy and a powerful force in the scientific community.''-Technology and Culture ''A seminal work of rich scholarly detail . . . It is a splendid and totally satisfying feast, whetting the appetite for the next volume.'' -Nature