Only one female scientist named in GCSEs, research finds
New research from the University of Cambridge reveals that Rosalind Franklin is the only female scientist mentioned in UK GCSE and National 5 science exam specifications. The study highlights a significant gender gap in the representation of historical scientific figures in education.
Why it matters
The lack of female representation in educational curricula may influence student perceptions of career paths and historical contributions to science.
Image source, Photo12 / Universal Images Group via Getty Images Image caption, Franklin was a British chemist and crystallographer, whose X-ray diffraction work helped discover the structure of DNA
Education correspondent Published 57 minutes ago Rosalind Franklin is the only female scientist named in GCSE and National 5 science exam specifications in the UK, according to new research.
A Cambridge study found that of the 86 scientists named by UK exam boards, the English chemist, whose work in the 1950s helped reveal the structure of DNA, was the only woman.
Exam specifications set out the skills and knowledge students are expected to have gained by the end of their course and how they will be assessed.
Exam boards said there was "a clear need for greater representation in science qualifications".
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