Miss Maria Mitchell

Josie found an inspirational female figure during her family travels to Nantucket, Massachusetts.  She recalled the admiration she developed for Miss Maria Mitchell, a woman in the field of astronomy.

“When I was little, my family used to go to Nantucket a lot.  One of my favorite places to visit was the Maria Mitchell Museum, as well as the aquarium that is operated by the Maria Mitchell Association.  I don’t remember how I learned so much about her, whether it was from the museum, from my dad, or from a book, but I loved the stories about her.”

“She was a famous astronomer who lived on the island of Nantucket and discovered a comet now known as C/1847 T1 or ‘Miss Mitchell’s comet.’  She valued education, as did her parents, and it is because of this that she was very well-educated and independent for a woman in her time.  She fought hard to be respected and recognized for her work, and I admire that.  While astronomy isn’t a science that I am specifically interested in pursuing, I still think that she is a wonderful role model for all women, especially for those in STEM.”

Featured Image by Lindsay Taylor ’24