Fall 2005 Prof.

Pamela Gossin
Office: JO: 5.304 Home Phone: 405-360-2958 (before 10 pm)
Office Phone: 972- 883-2071 Office Hours: R 1:30 - 3pm, W + F. by appt.
Email: psgossin@utdallas.edu

HUHI 7387: Sci and Tech in Western Culture

Women’s Lives in Science and Medicine
F 9:30 am - 12:15pm JO 4.312

In this course we will explore a fascinating selection of biographies and autobiographies written by and about women
who have dedicated their lives to the study of the natural world and medicine. We will discuss many complex and interesting
questions, including: What is unique about the experiences of women scientists and physicians – in their professions and
personal lives? How are their views of nature and medicine similar to / different from those of their male colleagues? What
challenges and obstacles do women in science and medicine face? How do they see themselves and their work as contributing
to human knowledge and culture? How do others see them? To what extent does our society apply traditional stereotypes
about scientists to them? Gender stereotypes? Does an examination of their own accounts of their lives reveal telling
information about the nature of their intelligence, creativity, imagination, social choices, politics and ethics?

We will also consider auto/biographies as dual genres – both literature and history. How are “life stories” crafted? Is
the genre more closely related to historiography or fiction? How do scientific biographies and autobiographies tell the “life
story of science” as well as stories about personal histories and lives? How do individual and collective biographies differ in
form and function? How is scientific knowledge related to and embedded in other forms of cultural knowledge? Is science
“gendered”? Is nature? How can we as “non-scientific” readers use these narratives to better understand scientific concepts
and medical perspectives? What are some of the “morals to the story”of women in science?

The course will be organized according to various topics and themes: “winners and losers” in the “race” for DNA; the
nature of individual genius; family life and love; religious and cross-cultural experiences in science. The daily class format will
be primarily discussion with a few descriptive or informative mini-lectures, and several documentary videos and biographical
films, including: “The Race for DNA” and selections from the Discovering Women series.

GRADING CRITERIA:
25%: “A&P”: Attendance and Participation (includes discussion, extra credit)
* NOTE: Please give your professor “courtesy” notice of any absences due to illness / emergency prior to missing class.
No credit will be given for late assignments without such prior notice.
25% (combined): In-class presentation of critique and 3-5pp paper
50%: 12-15 pp seminar paper (with in-class summary)

EXTRA CREDIT: Students may earn extra credit toward their A&P grade in the following ways:
1. Reading and/or Vocabulary journal: may be turned in at end of course for extra credit.
2. Extra Credit reading: 2-3 pp paper on “extra credit” reading or videos (get prof’s prior approval)
3. Personal “field-trips” to natural locations or personal interview with female scientist (discuss with prof first)
* NOTE: All extra credit reports need to address these two main issues:
A) What did you learn about the definition of “nature” and/or “science” from the activity? IE: how was nature / science
defined? B) How did the activity/experience relate to our course themes / discussions / readings?
REQUIRED BOOKS:
Watson, James. The Double Helix (one reason why we need this course!)
Sayre, Anne. Rosalind Franklin and DNA
Tuana, Nancy, The Less Noble Sex: Scientific, Religious and Philosophical Conceptions of Women’s Nature
Keller, A Feeling for the Organism
Salber, The Mind is not the Heart
Ajzenberg-Selove, Fay, A Matter of Choices: Memoirs of A Female Physicist
McGrayne, Sharon Bertsch, Nobel Prize Women in Science: Their Lives, Struggles and . . .Discoveries
Carson, Rachel, Silent Spring
Goodall, Jane, Reason for Hope

RECOMMENDED FOR CRITIQUE or EXTRA CREDIT

Harvey and Oglivie, eds., The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science
Warren, Wini, Black Women Scientists in the U.S.
Alic, Margaret, Hypatia’s Heritage: A History of Women in Science from Antiquity through the Nineteenth Century
Merchant, Carolyn, The Death of Nature
Schiebinger, Londa, The Mind Has No Sex? Women in the Origins of Modern Science
Abir-am and Outram, eds, Uneasy Careers and Intimate Lives: Women in Science, 1789-1979
Pycior, Slack, Abir-Am, eds., Creative Couples in the Sciences
Gates and Shteir, eds, Natural Eloquence: Women Reinscribe Science
Morantz-Sanchez, Regina, Sympathy and Science: Women Physicians in American Medicine
Macdonald, Anne L. Feminine Ingenuity: How Women Inventors Changed America
Lederman and Bartsch, eds., Gender and Science Reader
Weitekamp, Margaret, Right Stuff, Wrong Sex: America’s First Women in Space Program

PLAGIARISM POLICY
Any student found guilty of plagiarism (using another person’s thoughts, words, ideas, terminology etc. without
properly acknowledging them with footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetically in the text with a bibliography) will be
subject to UTD’s disciplinary policies and procedures, including, but not limited to, failing this course. See the
university’s student code, MLA style sheet or Chicago Manual of Style for more information.

CLASS PHILOSOPHY
In accordance with university policy, this is a drug-free, alcohol-free, smoke-free, barrier-free classroom. In the
interests of promoting a comfortable learning environment, all students and the professor pledge to respectfully
consider the expression of ideas and opinions by others regardless of political, philosophical, religious, intellectual,
cultural, racial, generational or gender differences.

CLASS CALENDAR:

* Have all readings listed under a particular class day, read FOR that class day’s discussion.*

Wk 1: F. August 19:
A: Introduction to the course: class cards; syllabus; course objectives and themes. Reading & vocabulary journals.
B: In-class reading and discussion: xerox handout on female scientists, careers, marriage, family
Wk 2: F. August 26:
A and B: Discuss reading: Watson, James. The Double Helix

Wk. 3: F. Sept 2:
A: Discuss reading: Sayre, Anne. Rosalind Franklin and DNA
B: VIDEO: The Race for DNA

Wk 4: F. Sept. 9:
A and B: Hollywood representations of female scientist: case of Marie Curie * Take notes on video

Wk 5: F. Sept. 16:
A: Discuss last week’s video
B: Discuss reading: Tuana, Nancy, The Less Noble Sex

Wk 6: F. Sept. 23:
A: Discuss Keller, A Feeling for the Organism
B: Contrast: Maria Mitchell video (19th c. astronomy) vs. “Discovering Women” video (late 20 th
c. biology)

Wk 7: F. Sept 30:

A and B: STUDENT CRITIQUES

Wk 8: F. Oct. 7:
A and B: New media representations of female natural investigators: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind (anime)

Wk 9: F. Oct. 14:
A: Discuss Nausicaa anime
B: Discuss reading: Salber, The Mind is not the Heart

Wk 10: F. Oct. 21:

A: Discuss reading: Ajzenberg-Selove, Fay, A Matter of Choices: Memoirs of A Female Physicist
B: “Discovering Women” series video (“High Energy”)

Wk 11: F. Oct 28:

* “History of Science” Extra Credit Costume Contest
A and B: Discuss reading: McGrayne, Sharon Bertsch, Nobel Prize Women in Science

Wk 12: F. Nov. 4:
A and B: Discuss reading: Carson, Rachel, Silent Spring

Wk 13: F. Nov. 11:

A and B: Goodall, Jane, Reason for Hope and video

Wk 14: F. Nov. 18: STUDENT PAPER PRESENTATIONS + teaching evaluations

* THANKSGIVING BREAK * NO CLASS

Wk 15: F. Dec. 2: FINISH UP STUDENT PAPER PRESENTATIONS (meet in regular room at regular time and turn in
your Final Papers at beginning of class).