She uncovered the lost women of science and made history

“One of your tribe is enough.” That’s what Margaret Rossiter was told when she said she wanted to study female scientists. Nevertheless, Rossiter persisted. She found and documented hundreds of women whose contributions to science had been overlooked, under-credited and misappropriated. Then she made history herself by coining the term “The Matilda Effect” to describe why those women failed to get the credit they deserved.

Who is Matilda? Matilda Joslyn Gage was a suffragist erased from history. She was known as being too radical for Susan B. Anthony. This podcast shares her story.

Guests in this episode:

Katie Hafner is a former NYT reporter, host and co-executive producer of Lost Women of Science podcast.

Sophie McNulty is the producer of the Lost Women of Science podcast.

Ellen Abrams is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology. She was a graduate student at Cornell University, who shared an office with Margaret Rossiter and was influenced by her work.

Sally Gregory Kohlstedt is a professor emerita of history of science and technology at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, and a close friend and colleague of Margaret Rosstier, fellow science historian.

Ailsa Holland is a historian and a co-author of On This Day She Putting Women Back into History One Day at a Time.

Margaret Rossiter (deceased Aug 3, 2025) was the Marie Underhill Noll Professor of History of Science Emerita and Graduate School Professor. She coined “The Matilda Effect” and wrote a three-volume series, Women Scientists in America.