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Are there any female Scottish inventors?

17 replies

DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 06/12/2020 18:31

Dd has a project, and I'm struggling to find any female Scottish inventors, as I would prefer she learns about a female if possible.

Struggling to find anyone so far.

TIA Flowers

OP posts:
CormoranStrike · 06/12/2020 18:41

More a list of entrepreneurs than inventors, she might find inspiration here

www.insider.co.uk/special-reports/women-watch-insider-business-2016-12396165

Plump82 · 06/12/2020 18:42

There's 2 on here. I just scanned the names so not sure what they invented and if they are very exciting! en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Scottish_inventors

Aknifewith16blades · 06/12/2020 18:43

They seem to be thin on the ground OP!

How about Valerie Hunter Gordon - inventer of the first disposable nappy.

www.theguardian.com/society/2016/oct/30/valerie-hunter-gordon-obituary

CormoranStrike · 06/12/2020 18:45

And while she was not Scottish, I am always fascinated to be reminded that actress Hedy Lamar invented the tech that would one day become WiFi!

BobbinThreadbare123 · 06/12/2020 18:47

Marion Gray? She came up with the Gray graph and advanced telecoms in the mid 20th C. She was from Ayr.

Manolinette · 06/12/2020 18:50

I think you will find most recognised 'inventors' were from the industrial revolution up to about 1970. Since then the word has been 'entrepreneurs' which is a word I have grown to resent because it is so cheaply passed around and has become meaningless. Inventors solve tangible problems common to all humans.

The problem we have is that from about 1840 to 1970 hardly any women were able to deploy their skills other than being baby-making factors of production. If they were lucky and had some kind of dubious support, they would do something in the field of human medicine, care, suffering or emergency. That is my recollection, which may not be perfect.

LtGreggs · 06/12/2020 18:50

A Scottish woman first discovered/described coronaviruses

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/uk-scotland-52278716

AgentProvocateur · 06/12/2020 18:52

www.womeninstem.co.uk/insights/stem-inventors-inspire-lassiesinstem/amp/

This might be useful

museumum · 06/12/2020 18:52

Try this recent RSE exhibition www.rse.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Latest_72978-RSE-Women-in-Science-A5.pdf

Manolinette · 06/12/2020 18:56

@CormoranStrike

And while she was not Scottish, I am always fascinated to be reminded that actress Hedy Lamar invented the tech that would one day become WiFi!
Wow - that is amazing do you have any info. Thank you.
DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 06/12/2020 19:04

Amazing, thank you.

Just trying to even the score a little as I'm sure most of the class will do their projects on men (that's all they have been learning about). I'll have a look at these links.

OP posts:
Ted27 · 06/12/2020 19:08

Mary Somerville scientist and mathematician

Somerville College is named aftrr her, I think she is on a Scottish banknote

ThatIsNotMyUsername · 06/12/2020 19:10

hedy Lamar - www.invent.org/inductees/hedy-lamarr sadly became better known for botched cosmetic surgery.

I can only think off the top of my head marmalade but I’ll have a think.

ThatIsNotMyUsername · 06/12/2020 19:13

Had a dig - www.nls.uk/learning-zone/science-and-technology/women-scientists

When I read this (and there was a site about other remarkable Scottish women) I do wonder about the state of Scottish politics and what happened?

chickenninja · 06/12/2020 19:15

Michelle mone invented push up bras. I think..

ThatIsNotMyUsername · 06/12/2020 20:44

Wasn’t that Jane Russell?

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