Biographies

When we look at the prizes and awards in chemistry, we come across almost exclusively well-known men. Is chemistry a purely male-dominated field?

Certainly not any more! But up until 2025, the Nobel Prizes awarded went to 827 men, 64 women (7.2 per cent) and 28 organisations (excluding the Nobel Prize in Economics;&Source). In chemistry, as of 2025, there are eight female Nobel laureates out of a total of 198 recipients (3.8%). Five of these female scientists have been honoured since 2009. (Source)

Carolyn Bertozzi (2022)
Emmanuelle Charpentier (2020)
Jennifer Doudna (2020)
Frances H. Arnold (2018)
Ada Yonath (2009)
Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin (1964)
Irène Joliot-Curie (1935)
Marie Curie (1911)

In the Physiology or medicine category, 14 women have so far been awarded the Nobel Prize, including the German biologist and biochemist Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard.

We are currently seeing more and more women gaining international recognition for their scientific achievements. However, it will still be some time before prizes are named after them, as this often only happens after their death.

To promote equality of opportunity and the visibility of women in the scientific community, the GDCh established the biennial Hildegard Hamm Brücher Award for equal opportunities in chemistry in 2020 – a clear commitment to greater equality in chemistry.

Although, looking back, chemistry has been dominated by men, there have always been women who refused to be intimidated by this. Driven by a thirst for knowledge, tenacity and a dash of moral courage, they forged their own paths in science, business, the civil service and even politics. Despite occasional hostility, they often gained the recognition of the men with whom they worked – including Nobel laureates. It is important to bear in mind that, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was not yet socially accepted for women to take their A-levels, go to university and then pursue a career. Unfortunately, however, their achievements were not taken into account when it came to honors, such as the awarding of prizes or having institutions named after them.

To ensure that these pioneering women in chemistry are not forgotten, Prof. Dr Eberhard Ehlers and Prof. Dr Heribert Offermanns took the initiative in 2020 to honour them posthumously and to highlight their fascinating and diverse career paths in short profiles.&

The GDCh presents these profiles of the first female chemists (born before 1939) on these web pages. Be impressed and inspired by the achievements and enthusiasm of these early female chemists for their profession.

The GDCh extends its warmest thanks to the two authors and to Prof. Dr Barbara Albert, TU Darmstadt, for her conceptual advice.