ABOVE: © ISTOCK.COM, SINHYU
As a child growing up in Colorado, Illinois, and Vermont in the late 19th century, Florence Sabin lacked musical talent—but that ended up being a good thing. After a classmate told her that her piano-playing ability was “merely average,” Sabin gave up on her dream of becoming a pianist and started to study science. What followed was a long and illustrious career that spawned landmark discoveries and helped inspire women in STEM at a time when they faced many challenges.
After graduating in 1900 from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Sabin became the first woman appointed to the faculty of the university in 1903, specializing in anatomy and physiology. It was 17 years, however, before she was promoted to the rank of full professor. Later, she became the first woman to head a department at Rockefeller University (then the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research). She was ...
