History is rife with examples of obstacles, challenges, and bias against women since the beginning of time. Despite this, or perhaps in response to such adversity, women have risen to the challenge over the centuries. Progress has been slow but consistent, and our hope is that one day, in the near future, the women of the world will not have to fight to be paid equally or seen as equals in any industry or environment. A day when female role models will be abundant and no longer the firsts in every industry.
Here are 10 trailblazers who are sparking this hope in the hearts of millions of women and girls across the world with their diverse cultural, educational, and professional backgrounds.
TECHNOLOGY
Susan Wojcicki: Having Mastered the A-Z of Alphabet
52, CEO, YouTube
Susan Wojcicki has been serving as the CEO of YouTube, the Alphabet subsidiary since 2014. Wojcicki’s career progression is the perfect example of how you can start small in life and still end up spearheading a business empire with over 2 billion monthly users. It was in her rented-out garage in Menlo Park that the Google cofounders Sergey Brin and Larry Page developed the pilot of the Google search engine in 1998.
In 1999, Wojcicki joined Google as its 16th employee and hasn’t looked back since. She has handled everything in Google from Analytics and AdSense to Google Books and Images. She acquired YouTube for $1.65 billion in 2006 and has built its net worth to an estimate of $90 billion over the last 15 years. Educational Background:
- BA History and Literature, Harvard University
- MS Economics, University of California, Santa Cruz
- MBA, UCLA Anderson School of Management
Career Journey:
- Marketing Manager, Google
- Senior Vice President, Google
- CEO, YouTube
BIOCHEMISTRY
Jennifer Doudna: Altering Human DNA, Literally
56, Nobel Laureate for Chemistry in 2020
The renowned biologist Jennifer Doudna is best known for her contributions to CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) along with her colleague Emmanuelle Charpentier for discovering that genes can be reprogrammed or edited, a breakthrough that has altered the face of biology. This development of a method of genome editing won this duo the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Educational Background:
- BA Biochemistry, Pomona College in Claremont, California
- Ph.D., Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School
Career Journey:
- Research Fellowship, Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Research Fellowship, Genetics, Harvard Medical School
- Postdoctoral Scholar, Biomedical Science, University of Colorado Boulder
- Research on ribozyme structure and function, Cech lab (1991) & Yale University (1996)
- Assistant Professor, Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Dept., Yale University
- Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of California, Berkeley
- Li Ka Shing Chancellor’s Professorship, Biomedicine, and Health, University of California, Berkeley
- Chair of the Chancellor’s Advisory Committee, Biology, University of California, Berkeley
SPACE RESEARCH
Christina Koch: Out-of-this-world Achievement
42, American Engineer, Astronaut
Christina Koch is an engineer and an astronaut who recently returned to Earth after spending 328 days in space, setting a record for the longest time spent in space by a woman. This record was previously held by Peggy Whiston, a fellow American.
During her time in space, Koch performed hundreds of experiments and worked closely with foreign protein crystals and plants. She also contributed to countless studies that would set the course for future space expeditions, including how female astronauts can adjust to weightlessness, the stress of isolation, and the pressure of prolonged spaceflight.
Educational Background:
- BS Electrical Engineering and Physics, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC
- MS Electrical Engineering, North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC
- NASA Academy program at GSFC
Career Journey:
- Electrical Engineer, NASA GSFC’s Laboratory for High Energy Astrophysics
- Research Associate, Firefighter, Ocean/Glacier Search & Rescue, United States Antarctic Program
- Electrical Engineer, Space Department, Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University
- Field Engineer, NOAA’s Global Monitoring Division Baseline Observatory, Barrow Alaska
- Station Chief, American Samoa Observatory
- Astronaut, NASA
POLITICS
Kamala Harris: Leading with Pride, That too in “Sensible” Shoes
56, Vice President, USA
On November 7, 2020, Kamala Harris achieved what no woman in American History had until then—she became the first woman of color to be elected as the US Vice President. If we trace back her career journey, it is evident that Harris is no stranger to firsts— she was the first woman of Indian and Jamaican heritage to be elected to the US Senate. Prior to that, she became the first woman of color to serve as California’s attorney general.
Harris went viral for spotting her wide range of Chuck Taylors throughout the election campaign. According to her, they are not just sensible or comfortable, but also protect Americ