In honor of Women’s History Month, the Society of Military Spouses in STEM (SMSS) encourages readers of all ages to explore the groundbreaking contributions women have made to science, technology, engineering and math—both past and present. From studying the delicate anatomy of the smallest insects to puzzling the subatomic mysteries of the galaxy, these remarkable women have advanced our understanding of life and the universe.
Kickstart your women in STEM reading list with these amazing stories of trailblazers, scientists, adventurers, and engineers!
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World
By Rachel Ignotofsky
(2016, Ages 10-17)
Silent Spring
By Rachael Carson
(1962; Anniversary Edition 2002, Adult)
Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II
By Liza Mundy
(2017, Adult)
The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Women Whose Discoveries Changed the World
By Shelley Emling
(2011, Adult)
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
By Rebecca Skloot
(2010, Adult)
Grace Hopper: Queen of Computer Code
By Laurie Wallmark
(2017, Ages 5 & up)
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
By Robin Wall Kimmerer
(2013, Adult)
Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine
By Olivia Campbell
(2021, Adult)
101 Awesome Women Who Transformed Science
By Claire Philip Illustrations by Isabel Muñoz
(2019, Ages 7-10)
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
By Walter Isaacson
(2021, Adult)
African American Women Chemists
By Jeannette E. Brown
(2011, Adult)
Lab Girl
By Hope Jahren
(2016, Ages 16-Adult)
Women in Engineering: Pioneers and Trailblazers
By Margaret E. Layne
(2009, Adult)
Everyday Superheroes: Women in STEM Careers
By Erin Twamley and Joshua Sneideman
Illustrations by A Collective
(2019, Ages 8-12)
The Madame Curie Complex: The Hidden History of Women in Science
By Julie Des Jardins
(2010, Adult)
Women in Science: Then & Now
By Vivian Gornick
(2009, Adult)
Seeds of Change
By Jen Cullerton Johnson
Illustrations by Sonia Sadler
(2010, Ages 5-10)
Removing Barriers: Women in Academic Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Ed. by Jill M. Bystydzienski and Sharon R. Bird
(2006, Adult)
No One is Too Small to Make a Difference
By Greta Thunberg
(2020, Teen-Adult)
Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators
By Susanne Tedrick
(2020, Adult)
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women
By Kate Moore
(2018, Adult)
The Girl with a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague
By Julia Finley Mosca Illustrations by Daniel Rieley
(2018, Ages 5-10)
The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars
By Dava Sobel
(2017, Adult)
Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life
By Mae Jemison
(2001, Ages 10-12)
Headstrong 52 Women Who Changed Science—And the World
By Rachael Swaby
(2015, Adult)
Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race
By Margot Lee Shetterly
(2017, Adult)
Breaking the Gas Ceiling: Women in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry
By Rebecca Ponton
(2019, Adult)
Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross Cherokee Aerospace Engineer
By Taci Sorell Illustrations by Natasha Donovan
(2021, Ages 7-11)
Women in Tech: Take Your Career to the Next Level with Practical Advice and Inspiring Stories
By Tarah Wheeler
(2017, Adult)
My Life with the Chimpanzees: The Fascinating Story of One of the World’s Most Celebrated Naturalists
By Jane Goodall
(1996, Ages 8-12)
Chrysalis: Maria Sibylla Merian and the Secrets of Metamorphosis
By Kim Todd
(2007, Adult)
Ada’s Algorithm: How Lord Byron’s Daughter Ada Lovelace Launched the Digital Age
by James Essinger
(2014, Adult)
The Astronaut with a Song for the Stars: The Story of Dr. Ellen Ochoa
By Julia Finley Mosca Illustrated by Daniel Rieley
(2019, Ages 5-10)
Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver
By Jill Heinerth
(2019, Adult)
Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA
By Brenda Maddox
(2002, Adult)
Lise Meitner: A Life in Physics
By Ruth Lewin Sime
(1997, Adult)
The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight
By Martha Ackmann
(2004, Adult)
Shark Lady: The True Story of How Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean’s Most Fearless Scientist
By Jess Keating Illustrations by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
(2017, Ages 4-8)
A Lab of One’s Own: One Woman’s Personal Journey Through Sexism in Science
By Rita Colwell and Sharon Bertsch McGrayne
(2020, Adult)
Marie Curie and Her Daughters: The Private Lives of Science’s First Family
By Shelley Emling
(2013, Adult)
Thinking In Pictures: My Life with Autism
By Temple Grandin
(2006, Adult)
Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor: The Woman Who Loved Reptiles
By Patricia Valdez Illustrations by Felicita Sala
(2018, Ages 4-8)
Every Other Thursday: Stories and Strategies from Successful Women Scientists
By Ellen Daniell
(2008, Adult)
Soundings: The Story of the Remarkable Woman Who Mapped the Ocean Floor
By Hali Felt
(2013, Adult)
Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist
By Linda Skeers Illustrations by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
(2020, Ages 4-8)
The Green Belt Movement: Sharing the Approach and the Experience
By Wangari Maathai
(2003, Adult)
Broad Band: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the Internet
By Clare L. Evans
(2020, Adult)
All that Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes
By Sue Black
(2020, Adult)
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom
By Teresa Robeson Illustrations by Rebecca Huang
(2019, Ages 5-10)
The Discovery of Jeanne Baret: A Story of Science, the High Seas, and the First Woman to Circumnavigate the Globe
By Glynis Ridley
(2011, Adult)
Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World
By Reshma Saujani
(2018, Ages 10-16)
Did you know SMSS members are students and professionals located across the globe?
The Women’s Bureau, part of the U.S. Department of Labor, estimates 92% of spouses married to those serving in the U.S. military are women.
Although not a gender-specific organization, SMSS believes in celebrating and uplifting women in STEM fields and all military spouses interested in STEM to reach their full potential and create a positive impact in their communities through support, visibility, advocacy, and opportunity.
Become an SMSS member and share your favorite stories in our members-only discussion board.
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