Pioneering scientists who were first female Fellows of the Royal Society commemorated in new documentaries presented by Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock
WEBWIRE – Tuesday, March 25, 2025
The Royal Society will release two short documentaries to honour Kathleen Lonsdale and Marjory Stephenson, 80 years since they became the first women to be elected to its Fellowship since its founding in 1660.
Marjory Stephenson and Kathleen Lonsdale – trailer | The Royal Society
Space scientist and presenter of BBCs The Sky at Night Maggie Aderin-Pocock joins astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS and biochemist Judy Armitage FRS to uncover the legacies of the first two women to become Fellows of the Royal Society.
In the first of two documentaries – on the Royal Societys YouTube channel – Aderin-Pocock and Armitage begin their journey in the Royal Societys archives to uncover the story of Marjory Stephenson.
Marjory Stephenson was a pioneer of bacterial biochemistry, born in Burwell near Cambridge, whose work formed the basis of much of our current understanding of biotechnology, including antibiotic production and environmental microbiology. She was the second president of the Microbiology Society, after refusing to be its first, and her book Bacterial Metabolism became required reading for microbiologists around the world.
In the documentary, the presenters visit Newnham College, Cambridge, where a chemistry laboratory was built specifically for women, as they were denied access to the university labs. They visit the Hopkins building where Stephenson did her most important work. Here they also discover Stephensons humorous side, through her satirical newsletter inspired by Alice in Wonderland, which she called Down the microscope and what Alice found there.
Professor Judy Armitage FRS, also a former president of the Microbiology Society, said: Marjory Stephenson was a meticulous, innovative scientist who laid the groundwork for all future studies of bacterial biochemistry, identifying that the complexity of metabolic pathways and the ability of bacteria to respond to change.
She trained a generation of biochemists who went on to lead major research groups across the world, but she is largely overlooked because she gave them credit for discoveries and did not seek recognition. Indeed, she chastised any proteges she thought distracted from their science by the pursuit of fame and fortune, but she also provided great support to her students and was clearly loved by them.
In the second documentary – Maggie returns to the Royal Society archives with Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell to explore the work of Kathleen Lonsdale.
Kathleen Lonsdale was a crystallographer, born in Newbridge, Ireland in 1903, best known for solving the structure of benzine – something many great scientists had failed to do.
The presenters travel to the crystallography labs at University College Londons Lonsdale building, where they meet Kathleen Lonsdales former PhD student Professor Mike Glazer, and to Friends House where they reflect on Lonsdales Quaker beliefs and dedication to pacifism.
Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell FRS said: I didnt have many female role models in science growing up, but Lonsdale was something of a Quaker heroine in school. The fact that there had been an eminent female Quaker scientist was a real encouragement to me.
Lonsdales dedication to promoting ethics in science is something which I found particularly powerful and moving, and I hope her story will inspire more young people not only to pursue a career in science, but to use their work for the good of humanity.
Professor Alison Noble FRS, Vice President of the Royal Society and chair of its Women in STEM committee, said: Marjory Stephenson and Kathleen Lonsdale were pioneers not only as the first women to be elected to the Royal Society Fellowship, paving the way for so many others, but also in what they achieved as scientists.
While we celebrate their remarkable legacy, we cannot ignore that women were only admitted to the Royal Society – an institution founded in 1660 – as recently as 80 years ago. Women have always played an active role in scientific research, and as we continue to celebrate women past and present, we hope this will encourage and inspire scientists of the future.
The films kick off a year of activity at the Royal Society celebrating, supporting and empowering women in STEM. More details and events to be announced.
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