House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

Rosalind Franklin took the first picture of the structure of DNA. Hedy Lamarr pioneered the technology that forms the basis of WiFi, GPS, and Bluetooth. Rachel Carson's work spawned the modern environmental movement and became the impetus for tighter control of pesticides, including DDT. Marie Curie discovered radium and polonium and paved the way for new cancer treatments. Katherine Johnson's work as a calculator for NASA helped to put the first American in space and the first man on the moon. Lydia Villa-Komaroff made the breakthrough discovery that bacteria could be engineered to produce human insulin. Ada Lovelace was the world's first computer programmer. Women have been scientific pioneers since the dawn of time and yet their contributions have been hidden, misattributed to men, dismissed as unimportant, or prevented from ever occurring in the first place by denial of opportunities and discouragement of brilliant minds based merely on the sex of the person with the idea. 

 

Science is one of our most important fields, as it is a source of constant innovation that can change and save lives as well as expand knowledge of the world around us. Yet at every turn, women have been told that they are not capable of participating, not smart enough to contribute, not welcome. As a result, women are currently underrepresented in science-related careers, including STEM fields such as computer sciences and engineering, and women currently hold only about one-third of existing research positions.  

 

In order to recognize the important contributions that women can and do make towards the field of science, I am introducing a resolution that will designate February 11, 2024, as the “International Day of Women and Girls in Science” in Pennsylvania. This resolution recognizes the importance of inspiring an early love of science in girls so that they may become interested and confident in joining the field someday. By encouraging diverse viewpoints in science-related careers, we can continue to grow our history of innovation and do more great things for our world.   

 

I invite you to co-sponsor this resolution that supports the increased inclusion of women and girls in science-related careers and tells women and girls across Pennsylvania that science absolutely is a place where they are welcome.