Women in STEM

Kathleen Lonsdale FRS (1903–1971) was a trailblazer in the field of X-ray crystallography, which explores the structures of organic and inorganic molecules. In 1945, she made history as one of the first two women elected as Fellows of the Royal Society, alongside Marjory Stephenson.

Lonsdale achieved many firsts in her career: the first female professor at University College London, the first woman to lead the International Union of Crystallography, and the first female president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science.

Her contributions earned her numerous honors, including a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1956) and the Royal Society’s Davy Medal (1957). In recognition of her scientific impact, a rare meteoric diamond was named lonsdaleite in 1966.

Learn more about her inspiring legacy through the Royal Society’s Science in the Making project or in her Biographical Memoir by Dorothy Hodgkin FRS. You can also watch Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS reflect on her life on YouTube.

Marjory Stephenson FRS (1885–1948) was a pioneering biochemist and, alongside Kathleen Lonsdale, one of the first two women elected as Fellows of the Royal Society in 1945.

A founder of chemical microbiology, Stephenson authored Bacterial Metabolism in 1930—an influential textbook that shaped the field for decades. She also co-founded the Society for General Microbiology and served as its second President in 1947.

Her contributions extended beyond science; she was awarded an MBE for her service with the British Red Cross during World War I in France and Salonika.

Explore her legacy through Science in the Making, her Biographical Memoir by Muriel Robertson FRS, or watch Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Professor Judy Armitage FRS reflect on her extraordinary life on YouTube.

Explore the Royal Society's Meet the Changemakers (PDF) publication, highlighting and celebrating trailblazing women entrepreneurs who are shaping the future.