The following essay is reprinted with permission from: conversationAn online publication covering the latest research.
Thirteen years before another woman joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA, predecessor to NASA) in a technical role, there was a young lab assistant. Pearl Young It was making waves at the agency. Her legacy as an outspoken and relentless advocate for herself and her team will pave the way for women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for decades to come.
My interest in Young’s story is as follows. My Identity as a Woman in STEM. I gain strength by sharing my story. Women who have made a lasting impact in STEM. I am NASA funding North Dakota Space Grant ConsortiumHere we aim to create an open and welcoming environment in STEM. spirit The story is one of persistence Through frustration, advocacy for yourself and others, and building a community of support.
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Facing difficulties from the beginning
Young was a scientist, educator, technical editor, and researcher. Born in 1895, she was no stranger to the barriers women faced at the time.
In the early 20th century, a college degree in a STEM field “less suitable for women,” and graduates who have earned this degree Considered an unconventional woman. Professors who agreed to mentor women in advanced STEM fields in the 1940s and 1950s included: Often accused of communism.
In 1956, the National Science Foundation even published an article Title: “Women are not suited for engineering.”
Despite society’s sexist standards, Young earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from the University of North Dakota in 1919 with a triple major in physics, mathematics, and chemistry. She then embarked on a decades-long career in STEM fields.
Become a technical editor
Despite a hostile culture toward women, Young successfully served in a variety of technical roles at NACA. She worked in several departments, including physics, metrology, and aerodynamics, with a variety of expertise, and soon noticed this trend throughout the institution. Many of the reports her colleagues wrote were not well written enough to be useful.
In a 1959 interviewYoung said of his start at NACA: “Those were fruitful times. I was interested in good writing and suggested they needed a technical editor. “Engineers didn’t have time to write easy-to-read reports.”
Three years after expressing her proposal, Young was reassigned to the newly created role of assistant technical editor in the publishing division in 1935. Young earned the title of assistant technical editor in 1941, after spending six years in that role.
In 1941, NACA established the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, now known as NASA Glenn Research Center. This new field center needed skilled staff, so two years later NACA management invited Young to head the new technical editorial section there.
It was at the Aircraft Engine Laboratory that Young published her most notable technical work, Style Manual for Engineering Authors, in 1943. NASA’s history office even lists Young as NACA Technical Report System Architect.
Young’s style manual enabled the agency to communicate technological advances globally. This manual includes specific formatting rules for writing technical documentation to increase consistency for engineers and researchers reporting data and experimental results. It was essential for efficient World War II operations and was translated into many languages.
But it was after this publication that Young was finally promoted to technical editor, 11 years after she had voiced the need for that role at the agency. She was the first person to hold this role, but started at the assistant level and worked her way up to associate level before receiving the full technical editor designation.
Pearl Young ‘Raising Hell’
Perhaps the most notable part of Young’s story is her personality. While standing up for himself and his colleagues, Young often had to challenge authority.
She stood up for her editorial department when male supervisors unfairly accused it of making mistakes. She wrote a formal proposal to: Classify her office appropriately in the research department At the Aircraft Engine Laboratory. She regularly acknowledged the contributions to the achievements shared by the entire team.
She also secured additional staff to reduce the unmanageable workload and wrote formal memorandums to ensure that her colleagues received their due promotions. Young often referred to this behavior as “raising hell.”
According to archival documents I analyzed, Young’s performance at NACA was exemplary throughout her career. 1967She graduated from the University of North Dakota Prestigious Sioux Award In recognition of her professional achievements and service to the University.
NASA Langley Research Center in 1995 and 2014 A theater was dedicated in her name. The new theater is located in NASA’s Integrated Engineering Services Building.
In 2015, Young was inducted into the inauguration ceremony. NASA/NACA Langley Hall of Fame. However, not all of her colleagues throughout her career shared this complimentary view of Young and her work.
In 1930, one of Young’s supervisors felt it necessary to evaluate her “attitude” and suitability as an employee in a progress report, and entered these additional words directly into the document to justify his position.
Later that year, Young requested time off for the holiday season and was asked by another supervisor to draft a formal memo to the engineer in charge. This is a similar position to the current NASA Center Director. He cited Young’s “attitude” when asking to use his vacation time.
Women are not welcome in STEM
Although gender discrimination in STEM has changed in form over time, gender-based inequalities still exist. Women in STEM fields often face microaggressions., Alienation and hostile work environmentThese include unequal pay, lack of recognition, and expectations of additional services.
Women often Lack of a supportive social network and meet someone else Systemic barriers to career advancementDouble standards of not being recognized as an authority figure or being perceived as too aggressive and not a leader.
woman of colorWomen belonging to LGBTQ+ community and women with one or more disabilities We face many more barriers rooted in these intersectional identities.
One way to combat these inequities is to bring attention to systemic barriers through sharing. Stories of women who consistently studied STEM – A woman who likes Pearl Young.
This article was originally published on: conversation. read original article.
