Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 9h

#OTD in 2019, Dr. Esther Duflo--along with two colleagues--won the Nobel Prize in economics for their "experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.”

She is the youngest person and the second woman to win the award. #WomenInSTEM

cnn.com/2019/10/14/b...

Publicity shot of Dr. Esther Duflo outside, arms crossed, in a blue shirt.

1

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Gorgeous historic photograph: Eleanor Roosevelt & Edith Sampson at the UN in NY, 1950.

Roosevelt chaired the Human Rights Commissions effort to draft the Declaration of Human Rights and Sampson was the first Black US delegate appointed to the UN. Sampson was born #OTD in 1901.

Gorgeous historic photograph: Eleanor Roosevelt (on the left with a big Eleanor smile) & Edith Sampson (on the right, looking at Eleanor) at the UN in NY, 1950.

3

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 1d

Edith Sampson | Lawyer & judge, born #OTD in 1901

* First woman to earn a Master of Laws from Loyola's Graduate Law School, 1927
* First Black US delegate appointed to the UN, 1950
* First Black woman elected judge in IL, Municipal Court of Chicago, 1962

blackpast.org/aah/sampson-...

Black-and-white photo of Edith Sampson at the bottom of the stairs about to board a plane. She is wearing a suit and has on a very handsome hat.

5

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 2d

#OTD in 2009, Elinor Ostrom became the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. She won "for her analysis of economic governance, especially the commons." #WomenInSTEM

nobelprize.org/prizes/econo...

6 24

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Remembering Anja Niedringhaus | German photojournalist born #OTD in 1965.

The only woman on a team of 11 AP photographers that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for coverage of the Iraq War. She was killed in Afghanistan, 2014.

theatln.tc/2pZHcET

Photo of Anja Niedringhaus holding her Canon camera with a long lens.

12 26

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 2d

For context: The PEN Pinter Prize & Writer of Courage Award comprise an annual literary award by English PEN.

English PEN is one of the world's oldest human rights orgs, championing the freedom to write & to read around the world. Founding members include EM Forster, Joseph Conrad & HG Wells.

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 2d

Stella Gaitano was named as Writer of Courage by Leila Aboulela, the 2025 winner of the PEN Pinter Prize.

Gaitano is a writer, journalist & human rights activist who has written extensively about Sudan & on themes of identity, migration, and displacement.

www.englishpen.org/posts/campai...

A smiling Stella Gaitano sitting in a chair with her legs crossed and and her hands clasped.

1 2 3

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 3d

Dorothea Lange | American documentary photographer and photojournalist

Lange's photographs humanized the consequences of the Great Depression and influenced the development of documentary photography. She died #OTD in 1965.

Black-and-white photo of Dorothea Lange sitting on the roof of a car looking through her camera (which is huge and balanced on her knee).

Black-and-white photo taken in 1936 by Dorothea Lange in California entitled Migrant Mother. In the photo is a mother holding a baby with another older child resting his chin on her shoulder.

1

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 3d

#OTD in 1984, Kathryn Sullivan--geologist & NASA astronaut--became the first American women to walk in space. #WomenInSTEM #AstronautEnvy 🚀

kathysullivanastronaut.com/about/

Official portrait of Kathryn Sullivan in her spacesuit in front of the US and NASA flags.

8 28

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 3d

"Do what you feel in your heart to be right--for you'll be criticized anyway."

Remembering Eleanor Roosevelt, born #OTD in 1884. One of the most influential American women of the twentieth century.

1 2

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 4d

Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Sri Lankan Stateswoman

On July 21, 1960, Bandaranaike became the first female Prime Minister in the world & the world's first elected female head of government. She served three terms 1960–1965, 1970–1977, and 1994–2000.

She died #OTD in 2000.

2

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 4d

Agreed.

1

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 4d

Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb was an aviation pioneer. She should have been the first-ever woman to fly in space. Because of gender bias, she wasn't...

What a life, what a story: airandspace.si.edu/stories/edit...

#WorldSpaceWeek 🚀

Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb, helmet on, inside the cockpit of a jet.

1 6

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 4d

Mary Winston Jackson | Mathematician & Aerospace Engineer #WorldSpaceWeek 🚀

In 1958, she became NASA's first Black female engineer. nasa.gov/content/mary... #WomenInSTEM

Mary Jackson's story is featured in book/film Hidden Figures.

3 3

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 4d

Ellene Mocria | Ethiopian radio & television journalist

In 1962, she became Ethiopia's first female radio newscaster & producer. In 1964, when Ethiopian Television began broadcasting, she became Ethiopia's first woman television journalist. She was born #OTD in 1941.

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 5d

It's #WorldSpaceWeek 🚀

Valentina Tereshkova, Russian cosmonaut, became the first woman to fly in space piloting Vostok 6 on 16 June 1963. In 1977, she earned her doctorate in aeronautical engineering. #WomenInSTEM

Valentina Tereshkova in her military uniform.

Valentina Tereshkova in a spacesuit and helmet.

5

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 5d

Remembering Sister Rosetta Tharpe | Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and recording artist who died #OTD in 1973.

The "original soul sister" & "Godmother of rock and roll," she influenced Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe on stage, singing, with her guitar.

2

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 5d

🎈Happy Birthday Jody Williams! | American political activist & Nobel laureate, born #OTD in 1950.

Williams was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997 for her work toward the banning and clearing of anti-personnel landmines.

nobelwomensinitiative.org/laureate/jod...

1 8

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 5d

Sally Ride | Engineer, physicist & astronaut #WorldSpaceWeek 🚀

* First American woman in space
* Wrote/co-wrote 7 books to help encourage children to study science
* Co-founded Sally Ride Science to inspire young people in #STEM/promote STEM literacy #WomenInSTEM

1 6

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 6d

#OTD in 2021, Maria Ressa was awarded the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Dmitry Muratov for "their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace."

She is the first Nobel laureate from the Philippines.

A smiling Maria Ressa outdoors in what looks like a cafe.

1 3

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 6d

Kathryn Sullivan | Geologist & former astronaut #WorldSpaceWeek 🚀

+ First woman to walk in space, Oct 11, 1984
+ First woman to dive to the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point of the seabed of Earth, June 7, 2020

bbc.com/news/world-u... #WomenInSTEM

Side-by-side images of Kathryn Sullivan. On the left, younger Kathryn in an official NASA portrait and, on the right, an older Kathryn in a suit in a publicity shot in front of a projection of the Earth.

2 10

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 6d

#OTD in 2020, Louise Glück won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

An American poet, Glück was recognized for "her unmistakable poetic voice, that with austere beauty makes individual existence universal."

bbc.com/news/enterta...

Publicity shot of Louise Glück in a chair against a teal-green background.

1 3

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 6d

Vanessa Wyche | Engineer & Director, Johnson Space Center (JSC)

Starting her career at NASA in 1989, she is the first Black woman to be in command at the JSC...blazing a path for more women and minorities to follow. #WorldSpaceWeek 🚀 #WomenInSTEM

www.nasa.gov/people/vanes...

Official government portrait of Vanessa Wyche in front of the US and NASA flags.

3

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 7d

Who brewed the first espresso in space?

Samantha Cristoforetti | ESA astronaut, Italian Air Force pilot & engineer. First Italian woman in space, she holds the record for the longest uninterrupted spaceflight of a European astronaut. #WomenInSTEM

It's #WorldSpaceWeek! 🚀

7

admirablewomen.bsky.social @admirablewomen.bsky.social · 7d

It's #WorldSpaceWeek! 🚀

Meet Peggy Whitson: NASA astronaut. First female Space Station Commander. Biochemist. Spent >665 cumulative days in space, the endurance record for any American astronaut. #WomenInSTEM

An amazing life: nasa.gov/people/peggy...

Astronaut Peggy Whitson in an official-looking NASA portrait in her spacesuit.

Astronaut Peggy Whitson in orbit in a spacecraft. Windows are behind her and parts of Earth are visible through them.

2