Women in the shade

Generally speaking, although they attend the discussions, take part in the dinners and sometimes feature on the group photographs, women remain in the shade. The Belgians are often reduced to the role of rapporteur. Their name does not always feature on the list of participants. This is particularly true for the local ‘attendants’ …

Here are some examples:

The names of ‘Mlle Brouckère’ and ‘Mlle Lacourt’ were added, by hand, to the list of ‘those invited to the sixth Solvay Conference on Chemistry (list included for the purposes of sending out volumes)’.

The table plan for the banquet organised for the fourth Solvay Conference on Chemistry, revealed a gender-based hierarchy: Pauline Ramart-Lucas, despite being a professor at the Sorbonne, was not seated at the table of honour, a table that was exclusively masculine.

 
We learn, from a letter sent to Arnold R. Ubbelohde on 7 January 1959, that, following numerous refusals, Marianne Grunberg-Manago was invited to the eleventh Conference on Chemistry of 1959 at the last minute, even though she had previously been recommended by male colleagues such as Jacques Monod and Charles Sadron and her research had won international acclaim.

Women are certainly not absent from the scientific world, but they are often left in the shade or confined to subordinate roles. They are underrepresented as researchers and as soon as they become spouses or mothers, most of them are forced to make a choice. Marie Curie and her daughter Irène are exceptions.