www.stats4buz.com A brief talk on Famous Italian Women Scientists By Dr Vincent MICALI, PhD (UFS) [email protected] http://www.stats4buz.com/ Copyright 2010 by Stats4Buz No part of this presentation may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. Content Introduction: Teaching Institutions Oldest University University of Bologna Famous Italian Women Scientists 13th Century 17th Century 18th Century 20th and 21st Centuries Introduction Medicine as Science Science Physics Chemistry Mathematics Statistics Philosophy Theology Languages Circa 1309 Universita’ Deriva dal Latino: Universitas Magistrorum et Scholarium, significa: “Comunita’ di Maestri e Scolari” Definition: institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is a corporation that provides both undergraduate and postgraduate education. Early History: Non-degree grants (No longer -Ops): Yu (China): 2257-2208 BC Takshashila (Pakistan): 7th C BC Nalanda (India): 5th C BC Plato Academos: 387 BC Circa 1350 OLDEST University If it is meant just as a higher educational operational Institution, then: “Della descrittione dell’Africa et delle cose notabili cheiui sono”, per Giovan Lioni Africano nel 1550 Leo Africanus Sebastiano del Piombo, circa 1520 University of Salerno (based on Velia’s Medical College) founded in Greek and Roman times University of Magnaura (Constantinople, now Istanbul) by the regent Bardas of Emperor Michael III, founded in 849 University of Al-Karaouine (Faz- Maroc) founded by Fatima al-Fihri in 859 University of Al-Azhar (Cairo-Egypt) founded circa 969 According to definition (must also be prior to 1500) the oldest Occidental University goes to: University of Bologna founded in 1088 http://www.unibo.it/Portale/Ateneo/La+nostra+storia/NoveSecoli.htm Sito: Unibo Universita’ Italiane (ante 1500) UNIVERSITA' Bologna Modena Padova Federico II (Napoli) Siena La Sapienza (Roma) Perugia Firenze Pisa Pavia Ferrara Torino Catania Genova Data fondata 1088 1175 1222 1224 1240 1303 1308 1321 1343 1361 1391 1404 1434 1481 Universita’ di Bologna Dieci Collegi Archivi di Storia Universitaria ricca: prime Borse di Studio, decreti , resi-conti, cause e processi Available printouts Ancarano Sinibaldi Poeti Jacobs Montalto Ferrero Comelli Ungaro Illirico Panolini Palantieri Archvio Storico Ipazia (Hypatia) Di ALESSANDRIA Circa 370 Alexandria, Egypt Lapidated 415, Alexandria First Woman recognised as a Mathematician for making substantial contributions to the science The Marquise Diodata Saluzzo Roero, member of Accademia Torinese delle Scienze e dell'Arcadia, in her discourse: Ipazia, ossia delle filosofe (1827) presented Hypatia as a Christian martyr: "Languida rosa sul reciso stelo/ Nel sangue immersa la vergin giacea/ Avvolta a mezzo nel suo bianco velo/ Soavissimamente sorridea/ Condonatrice de l'altrui delitto/ Mentre il gran segno redentor stringea". Bettisia Gozzadini 1209 (Bologna) – Nov 1261 First Woman in Europe to hold a post at a University Abella SALERNITANA (a.k.a. di SALERNO) 14th Century physician who taught at the Salerno School of Medecine Linked with Rebecca GUARNA Rebecca GUARNA & Dorotea BOCCHI Early 1300 - Late 1300 GUARNA Teaches Medecine at the Salerno School of Medecine (researches fever, embryology,…) also regarded as one of the first distinguished herbalists BOCCHI is appointed to the chair of Medecine at the University of Bologna in 1390 which she will hold for 40 years From 1273 to 1410 there are 24 women doctors in Naples Elena Lucrezia CORNARO PISCOPIA 5 June 1646 (Venezia) – 26 July 1684 (Padova) First Woman in the World to earn a PhD degree Laura Maria Caterina BASSI 31 Oct. 1711 (Bologna) - 20 Feb. 1778 First Woman to teach sciences at a University College in Europe Laura Maria Caterina BASSI Donna BASSI’s Life G Veratti Card. P Lambertini 8 G Tacconi Instituto delle Scienze 25 Benedettini Laura Maria Caterina BASSI Crater on Venus named after her Maria Gaetana AGNESI 16 May 1718 (Milano) - 9 Jan. 1799 First Woman Mathematician of importance since Hypatia (5th century AD) Maria Gaetana AGNESI Diploma di Laurea (Bologna) Maria Gaetana AGNESI Most valuable Work (Milano 1748) Maria Gaetana AGNESI Witch of Agnesi: y = (8.a3)/(x2 + 4a2) 3 2 1 0 -15 -10 -5 0 -1 5 10 15 y1 y3 y5 y6 -2 -3 -4 -5 Maria Gaetana AGNESI Crater on Venus named after her Maria MONTESSORI 31 Aug 1870 (Chiaravalle) - 6 May 1952 Noordwijk aan Zee Elena FREDA 25 Mar 1890 (Roma) - 25 Nov 1978 Elena FREDA Her most prestigious work Dottoresse Moderne Famose (extract) Dottoresse in medicina: Augusta Algranati, Gemma Barzilai, Elena Basileschi, Luisa Levi, Bianca Morpurgo, Luciana Nissim Momigliano, Eugenia Sacerdote, Lucia Servadio, Maria Zamorani Dottoresse in matematica: Emma Castelnuovo, Emma Senigaglia Dottoressa in fisica: Nella Mortara Dottoresse in biologia: Gina Castelnuovo, Anna Foà Dottoressa in botanica: Piera Scaramella Dottoresse in chimica: Vanda Maestro, Nerina Vita Dottoresse in farmacologia: Maria Luisa Basileschi, Angelina Levi Dottoressa in entomologia: Enrica Calabresi Dottoressa in mineralogia: Maria Piazza Rita LEVI-MONTALCINI 22 Apr 1909 (Torino) – she’s c. 102 ! Nobel Prize Winner in Medicine (1986) Senator for Life (2001) Founder Member of : “IDIS Foundation – Sciences City”; EBRI (Euro Brain Research Inst.) References 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Storia in Network, www.storiain.net Light-Science, www.lightscience.com Kirstin Olsen, “Chronology of Women’s History”, Greenwood Press, 1994 Internet: Wikipedia Universita’ di Bologna: Nove Secoli di Storia (web site) Simili Raffaella, “Scienziate Italiane Ebree (1938-1945)”, Pendragon, 2010 Libreria delle Donne, via Fiesolana 2B, spalle del Duomo, Firenze.