Tracing Women’s Paths at the Royal Observatory: Past, Present, and Future
Tracing Women’s Paths at the Royal Observatory: Past, Present, and Future
- Event time: 1:10pm until 2:00pm
- Event date: 2nd October 2025
- Speaker: Mishita Khurana (University of Edinburgh)
- Location: James Clerk Maxwell Building (JCMB) 6301 James Clerk Maxwell Building Peter Guthrie Tait Road Edinburgh EH9 3FD GB
Event details
The history of astronomy has often obscured the vital contributions of women, many of whom worked unpaid, unrecognised, or in the shadow of male relatives. At the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, this legacy begins with the early “Lady Computers” employed on the Carte du Ciel project, and continues through pioneering figures such as Mary Somerville, Williamina Fleming, and later Jocelyn Bell Burnell and Gillian Wright. Their stories reveal both the barriers faced and the determination that enabled them to leave lasting scientific and cultural legacies.
Today, women play a much more visible role at ROE and across the Institute for Astronomy. Drawing on historical records, staff demographics, and recent survey data, this talk reflects on what has changed, what has not, and how ongoing EDI initiatives and networks such as ROE WiSTEM can help create a more inclusive future for astronomy.
About EDI open lunchtime meetings
Physics & Astronomy Equality, Diversity & Inclusion lunchtime meetings - everyone in the School is welcome - both students and staff. Most meetings are at lunchtime. Our aim is to discuss and learn on how to be the best physicists we can be. We host a range of speakers - from our own students and staff to Nobel prize winners - on topics including physics education, outreach, gender & physics, race & physics, decolonising physics, as well as discussing current physics & astronomy research!.