Laura Bassi
EDUCATION (1711 - 1778)
Italian born Laura Bassi, born in 1711, was
the second woman in the world to earn the
degree of doctor of philosophy and the first
women ever to earn a doctorate in science.
This lead to her being the first female physics
professor in Europe. She then was appointed
the Chair of Experimental Physics at the
University of Bologna meaning she was the
first woman appointed to a chair of physics at
any university in the world. She was also the
most important populariser of Newtonian
mechanics in Italy. She has a street in
Bologna named after her, as well as a crater
in Venus.
Sophia Jex Blake
EDUCATION (1840 - 1912)
Blake was an activist for women's right to
access higher education. In 1869 she applied
to the University of Edinburgh to study
medicine, but was rejected due to the fact the
university said they could not make the
necessary arrangements "in the interest of
one lady". Undeterred Blake placed adverts in
national newspapers asking for other woman
to join her in applying to Edinburgh. Six
women responded, creating the famous
'Edinburgh Seven'. Their group application
was successful making the University of
Edinburgh the first British university to admit
women. In 1878 Blake become the first
female doctor in Scotland and opened her
own practice. Over the years her clinic
expanded and was renamed the Edinburgh
Hospital and Dispensary for Women,
becoming Scotland's first hospital for women
that was staffed entirely by women.
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