American geneticist Barbara McClintock won a Nobel for her pioneering work on genetic transposition. Chosen by Dr Hilary MacQueen, Head of the Department of Life Sciences at The Open University.

Barbara McClintock

How have individual female scientists contributed to the advancement of science through time? To celebrate the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day (March 8th) and to mark International Year of Chemistry 2011, The Open University asked some of the female scientists currently working in its Faculty of Science, to nominate their personal choice of outstanding woman of science. The female scientists nominated include several Nobel Prize Laureates, such as Marie Curie, Dorothy Hodgkin and American geneticist, Barbara McClintock. The academics also talk about their own experiences of being a woman in the sciences today.