It's the time of year again where I spend way too much time shopping through countless shops on Etsy looking for the perfect one of a kind gift for my geeky friends. Not because they're difficult to shop for, but because I'm continually overwhelmed by all the beautifully creative possibilities. Here's a list of some of the items I've fallen in love with, each honoring a ground-breaking woman in STEM.
Marie Tharp Linocut PortraitI have long been a fan of Ele Willoughby's artwork, so picking one piece to feature here was difficult. But I am especially drawn to this linocut portrait of American geologist and oceanographic cartographer Marie Tharp, whose pioneering, thorough and complete ocean floor maps revealed the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Probably because she is on my list of women to write about in 2018.
Ele's shop Minouette also includes artwork of other women in science (her Marie Curie print glows in the dark!), animals, natural history, and fantastical beasts.
I love all the necklaces from Auberg Designs. They're beautiful pieces of art in their own right. But I have a special fondness for her cameos of women in science.
This beautiful cameo necklace features the silhouette of French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher Sophie Germain. Germain, who became a pioneer of elasticity theory. Her work on Fermat's Last Theorem provided a foundation for mathematicians exploring the subject for hundreds of years.
I was searching for a special gift for a friend when I came across the work of Ray ven Haylin. His panel featuring Annie Jump Cannon took my breath away. Not only does it show Annie herself, but she has the names of Hypatia and Aglaonice, two important women in the history of astronomy, etched among the stars.
Over the course of her career, Annie Jump Cannon analyzed and measured more stars than any other astronomer before or since, created a classification system that is still in use today, and did more to further our understanding of the universe than anyone else of her era.
Adrienne Norris' artwork features important women in history. This piece dedicated to Katherine Johnson highlights her many achievements as a computer and mathematician for NASA. Over the course of her remarkable career she worked with the Mercury project, the Apollo project, the Space Shuttle project, and even on plans for a mission to Mars.
Debbie Ritter of UneekDollDesigns creates one of a kind art dolls of important people from history. Her series of women in science are all great, but I really love her doll of Chien-Shiung Wu, the Chinese-American experimental physicist who made significant contributions in the field of nuclear physics. Wu worked on the Manhattan Project. She is best known for conducting the Wu experiment, where she disproved a fundamental "law" of nature. She was also a fierce advocate for women in science and engineering.
OGHMC, run by Holly M. Clifton, carries a variety of enamel pins that would appeal to self-rescuing princess. This beautiful enamel pin celebrates the life of the feminist scientist, and women's rights advocate Vera Rubin, who had a major role in discovering "dark matter."
What better way to honor the need for more women in STEM than by wearing the face of this life-long advocate for women in science on your lapel.
Kristen and Geoff Zephyrus sell a variety of geeky glasses and mugs in their shop CognitiveSurplus. I especially like this pint glass featuring the likeness of Rosalind Franklin, the brilliant crystallographer whose X-rays revealed the structure of DNA to be a double helix. What a whimsical way to celebrate this ground-breaking scientist while toasting in the new year, or simply enjoying a quiet beer after a long day of working in the lab?
They also offer glasses featuring other notable women in science, so you can create your own set!
Brandy Davis of PigseyArt has created what I think may be the best Marie Curie-filled gifts, a box set of delightful lasercut wood items -- a journal, magnets, a coaster, a pin and an ornament -- all to celebrate the life and work of one the most impressive scientists in all time.
Rosa Friedrichs was inspired to make this series of mugs after reading the book Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This handmade ceramic mug is meant to honor Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American woman in space, and who continues to inspire young and old as a doctor who used satellites to improve health and protect the environment around the globe.
[Note: I have included Etsy Affiliate links in this post. I am exploring options for increasing my income from this blog to help me to continue to bring you the important stories of kickass women and girls. For each purchase made using these link I will received a small commission. Despite that, none of these items were chosen because of this program. Instead, they are all items I have selected because they are creative and they celebrate amazing women in science. If you want to help support the work I do here, please consider using these links to shop.]
I can't do the work of SRPS without your your support!
If you like what you read, please share this post with your friends.
If you like what you read, please share this post with your friends.
