Reed additionally supported instructing kids about science in order that they’d have the instruments to resolve what she referred to as the “current crises of exploding populations and deteriorating environments.” She revealed papers about instructing correct scientific strategies in colleges and created curriculums with the University of Minnesota.
“Classrooms always house some living organisms,” she wrote, tongue-in-cheek, within the Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science in 1969. “In many, unfortunately, all are of a single species, Homo sapiens. The population consists of many immature species (children) and a few adults, usually female (teachers). This makes for a certain homogeneity, but it can be alleviated by introduction of other living species, animal or plant.”
The undeniable fact that Reed was, like so a lot of her predecessors, misplaced to historical past is indicative of the pervasive sexism of her period. But girls right now proceed to face hurdles in getting into scientific fields. A report from the Massachusetts Institute Technology this yr discovered that “the underrepresentation of women in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields continues to persist,” with girls making up solely 28 p.c of the STEM work drive.
Like Reed, her daughter, Catherine, was a scientist, having earned a Ph.D. in ecology, however she finally turned so disillusioned that she held a ceremonial burning of her diploma and as a substitute turned to paintings and championing her mom’s legacy. She revealed her mom’s e-book on American girls in science on her web site in about 2010. She died in 2021 at 73.
Elizabeth Wagner Reed died at 83 on July 14, 1996, most definitely of most cancers. She acknowledged her signs, however, understanding what the remedies could be like and, to her mid, the possible consequence, she by no means sought a prognosis. (Sheldon Reed died in 2003.)
Source: www.nytimes.com