Jessica Wade's 1,600 Wikipedia Tributes to Overlooked Women Scientists
From lab to the limelight: Jessica Wade is rewriting history by honoring female scientists with the recognition they deserve on Wikipedia.
Dr. Jessica Wade is a physicist at Imperial College London. But she's not just a scientist; she's on a mission. She noticed that many talented women scientists were not getting recognised online. Jessica decided to change that.
Why is Jessica's Work Important?
Today, many people use the internet to learn. If you're not on the internet, people might not know about your work. Jessica knew that many women scientists had done great things but weren't being talked about online. She wanted to change this because everyone should know about the amazing work these women did.
What Did Jessica Do?
Jessica chose Wikipedia, a popular online encyclopedia, as her platform. She noticed a problem: only 19% of Wikipedia's biographies were about women. So, she started writing about women scientists. She wrote about their discoveries, their challenges, and their successes. Each night, she wrote a new story.
One of her stories was about Gladys West. Gladys did important work that helped create GPS, which many of us use today. Thanks to Jessica, more people now know about Gladys and her work.
Challenges Along the Way
Not everyone agreed with Jessica. Some people even removed her articles from Wikipedia. They said the women she wrote about weren't famous enough. But Jessica didn't give up. She believed these women should be known. She kept writing and even got some of the removed articles back online.
More Than Just Writing
Jessica does more than just write. She teaches others how to write for Wikipedia. She also talks to young people about science and encourages them to chase their dreams. She believes it's important for young girls to have role models in science. If they see women doing amazing things in science, they might want to be scientists too!
Why Should We Care?
Science is for everyone. But if only some people are recognised, then we're missing out on many great ideas. Jessica's work helps make sure everyone gets a chance to shine. She reminds us that every voice matters. By sharing the stories of women scientists, she's making science more open and inviting.
Dr. Jessica Wade is a hero. She's a scientist who also writes about other scientists. She noticed that many women in science weren't being recognised online. So, she started writing their stories on Wikipedia. She faced challenges, but she didn't stop. Thanks to her, more people know about the amazing work of women in science.
