Winter Term 2026: Week 4
January is such an exciting month at Dartmouth: a new term, fresh snow, and the chance to truly explore the best coffee shops on and around campus. But January is also, historically, a remarkable month for women pursuing careers and conducting groundbreaking research in science:
January 1849: Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States
January 1924: Dr. Roger Arliner Young became the first African American woman to publish a scientific paper in the journal Science. Her paper, titled "On the Migration of the Pigment Cells in the Larvae of Fundulus heteroclitus," detailed her research on pigment cell migration in fish embryos.
January 1925: Dr. Florence Sabin became the first woman elected to the National Academy of Sciences. A pioneer in medical research, she was recognized for her work on the origin of blood vessels and the study of tuberculosis.
Also in January 1925: Ynes Mexia, a Mexican-American botanist, began her first major botanical expedition in Mexico, which led to the collection of over 1,500 plant specimens.
January 1926: Katharine Burr Blodgett became the first woman to be awarded a Ph.D. in physics from the prestigious University of Cambridge. Blodgett would go on to work as a physicist for General Electric, where she invented low-reflectance "invisible" glass and developed revolutionary techniques for manufacturing thin films.
January 1978: Sally Ride was selected by NASA to become an astronaut candidate—she would eventually be the first American woman to fly in space.
Winter is truly a time for new beginnings and fresh discoveries. As we close out the first month of the year, we hope January’s legacy of innovation encourages you to pursue your own questions, insights, and ambitions in STEM.
-The WISP Team
Stamps Scholars Information Session
Monday, January 26
5:30-6:30PM, Moore B03
Calling all ’28s! The Scholars Programs team is hosting the second Stamps Scholars Information Session on Monday, January 26. Applications for the Stamps Scholars Program are due February 15.
The session will begin with an overview of the Stamps Program, followed by insights from three current scholars. They’ll share tips on crafting a strong proposal, building a realistic timeline, anticipating challenges, outlining a budget, and more. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions and connect with the scholars afterward.
Planning to attend? Please RSVP on Groups using the provided link.
Computer Science x WISP Speed Dating!
Tuesday, January 27
5:00-6:00PM, ECSC 116
Women in Computer Science (WiCS), the Dartmouth Society of Computer Science Students (DSCSS), and the Women in Science Project (WISP) are thrilled to host this event designed to introduce younger students interested in computer science to older mentors who have “been there.” Meet some junior and senior mentors, learn about the courses they’ve taken and the research they’ve done, and bring your own questions. You don’t have to be a CS major to attend — just bring your enthusiasm for the subject!
Light refreshments will be served. Please register here so we have an accurate headcount.
Biographies of Women in Math Essay Contest
Deadline: Sunday, February 1
The Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) welcomes Dartmouth undergraduates to participate in its annual essay contest, “Biographies of Contemporary Women in Mathematics.” Entrants must interview a woman whose career involved the use of mathematics. You may choose to submit your essay to both the local and national contests. The Dartmouth Mathematics Department will award an iPad to the first prize winner. Additional prizes are dependent on quantity and quality of essays.
Visit the Math Department’s website for more information.
SURFD Program Upcoming Deadlines!
Are you interested in conducting research during the spring term? The deadline for submitting applications is fast approaching for two of SURFD’s research programs:
Leave-Term Grants: February 4
Leave yourself plenty of time to prepare these materials and please make sure you review all of the guidelines for submission, including those for faculty recommendations/endorsements. No late applications will be accepted.
Neukom Scholars Program
Deadline: Wednesday, February 4
Also approaching is the deadline for the Neukom Scholars Program, run by the Neukom Institute for Computational Science. Neukom Scholars are enrolled undergraduates pursuing faculty-mentored research in the development of novel computational techniques as well as the application of computational methods to problems in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts. Selected students are awarded $1,600 for one term.
The deadline to apply for spring term research is February 4. Please be advised that you will not be eligible for this award if you are already participating in Dartmouth ERAS, a Presidential Scholarship, URAD, or other concurrent research programs.
Mathematics is obviously something that women should be able to do very well. It's very intuitive. You don't need a lot of machinery, and you don't need a lot of physical strength. You just need stamina, and women often have a great deal of stamina.
-Mary Ellen Rudin, mathematician
