March  28, 2021

Episode : Episode 1: Margaret Huggins

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Episode cover: Episode 1: Margaret Huggins

00:00:00 - Welcome everyone to the Stan Me Project podcast series where we address and discuss gender inequalities and STEM careers.

00:00:12 - This is your host, Jesse Doe, and today I'd like to introduce you to our first series featuring successful women in STEM from both historic and modern contexts.

00:00:23 - We'll be taking a look at several amazing women whose contributions helped of Grants society while addressing some of the major challenges they faced and how they were able to overcome them. Throughout decades of scientific evolution, women of science have contributed much towards development and understanding. Despite challenges brought upon women of science, from both of the historical context to even a modern era, the ability to overcome these obstacles adds a uniqueness and authenticity to their success stories that help inspire future generations of women to prosper in this field. Among such women is the story of Margaret

00:01:01 - Huggins, an astronomer and scientific investigator who, with collaborative effort with her husband

00:01:07 - William Huggins, pioneered the field of stellar spectroscopy in the late 1800s.

00:01:13 - Margaret's upbringing into science and academia brought forth unique challenges to obtaining an equitable education despite being a woman. The skills that Margaret developed throughout her lifetime in spectroscopy and photography, a tribute to her success as a scientist, along with the influences others had in her life which helped support her on her journey. To begin with, Margaret had several important influences during her upbringing that would inspire her to pursue a career in science. It was speculated that Margaret's grandfather, Robert Murray, was instrumental in developing her passion in astronomy as the two had a very good relationship.

00:01:53 - Together with Robert Murray, Margaret would observe constellations with a small telescope as she had recorded the patterns and sunspots. Given her early academic prowess, Margaret would also attend private school in Brighton for a period of time. This is a little uncharacteristic as a few girls tended a school during the 1800s in Britain. The majority of girls were homeschooled and by either hired tutors or by their mothers depending on socio-economic status.

00:02:22 - However, even then, subjects regarding sciences were seldom part of a young girl's curriculum.

00:02:28 - However, important political addresses were made at this time which may have impacted

00:02:33 - Margaret's exposure to the sciences. The Public Schools Commission in 1861 sought to expand opportunities for girls to receive equitable education and was aiming to advert negative stigma against women being less capable and needed to men in academia.

00:02:50 - Despite these strides in tackling disparities in sexism and education, Margaret was not able to acquire any formal training in astronomy and would need to look elsewhere in order to receive an education. Following Margaret's basic schooling for girls, she would continue to seek additional content regarding astronomy on her own from magazines and articles, popular astronomy books, and published journal entries. In one particular magazine titled Good Words, astronomer John Herschel published an article acquainting his readers regarding the properties of light. Margaret found interest in this article and consequently wanted to explore the applications of spectroscopy. Thus, Margaret created her own small spectroscope from which she could detect the front-hoeffer lines, despite not being aware of the instrument's astronomical applications. Subsequent authors in Stellar Spectroscopy would continue to nurture Margaret's interest, including writers such as Charles Pitchard, who was president of the Royal

00:03:55 - Astronomical Society, and Richard Proctor, as they would often reference William Huggins' contributions to Stellar Spectroscopy at the Tolst Hill Observatory.

00:04:05 - Despite Margaret's intellectual curiosity, she still faced overwhelming stigma as cultural trends in Victorian era did not support women with scientific aptitude from pursuing independent research. In fact, for this reason, representation in academia was disproportionately favorable towards men, and many women ended up abandoning their scientific pursuits due to cultural pressures and constraints. Margaret's true scientific capabilities came to light when she began working with her husband William Huggins at a Tulshill Observatory. Prior to their marriage, William was a principally alone observer. However, pressures to absorb photographic research into visual spectroscopic observations put William at a disadvantage, as he did not have adequate experience in this method of recording. Fortunately, Margaret's prior experience in photography, they were able to successfully establish their program of photographic research. Such publications included, quote, on a new group of lines in the photographic spectrum of Sirius, end quote, which recorded the spectrum of white stars. In addition to her photographic contributions, Margaret added a great depth of detail and clarity to William's notes through her own journal entries. Examining both Huggins' notebooks and extensive correspondence suggests that Margaret was actually more than just a research assistant and their journal entries detail vivid descriptions of their daily activities, some of which detailed Margaret's own research projects. Over time, Margaret will continue to collaborate with William as equal investigative partners in subsequent research publications, of which she would later co-author and when examining different nebulae. Indeed, Margaret's presence influenced the type of work to accomplish at Tulles Hill and played an integral part in the development and success of William Huggins' research in stellar spectroscopy. Despite barriers for women achieving formal education in the sciences, Margaret was able to hone her own skills as a researcher through self-education and unshakable determination. Dota Huggins did pursue their own research projects at times. Together they will able to pioneer the field of spectroscopy and would be considered one of the most influential collaborators in academia.

00:06:28 - Desk concludes the first series of our Stand Me Project podcast series featuring Margaret

00:06:34 - Huggins, one of the earliest female scientists known, and her successful contributions to spectroscopy. We hope that you've enjoyed this podcast series and we look forward to seeing

00:06:44 - See you soon.

00:06:45 - Take care.

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