Walk into any science classroom, open any textbook, or recall the great minds of science, and the same names echo effortlessly, Newton, Einstein, Tesla, Darwin. Brilliant, revolutionary, unforgettable. And then there is one woman whose name stands tall among them: Madam Marie Curie.
One woman. One name. Repeated so often that it almost feels symbolic; proof that women can belong in science, while quietly suggesting that only one ever truly did. But as Marie Curie herself once said,
“We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”
History did not lack brilliant women in science. It lacked the willingness to see them.
Every year on 11th February, the International Day of Women and Girls in Science invites us to question this imbalance, to ask why one woman’s name is celebrated among dozens of men, and how many others were overlooked, unrecorded, or discouraged long before their potential could fully unfold.
At the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, we sit in lecture halls filled with young women solving equations, running experiments, analyzing data, and questioning the unknown. And yet, somewhere between childhood curiosity and professional ambition, many of us were taught; silently that greatness in science usually comes with a man’s name.
Marie Curie did not become legendary because she was allowed to succeed. She became legendary because she refused to disappear. But she should never have been the lone female exception among scientific legends.
Today, women in STEM are no longer waiting quietly at the edges. They are reshaping the world in real time. Jennifer Doudna, Nobel laureate and co-creator of CRISPR gene-editing technology, reminds us,
“We have the ability to shape the future of life on Earth.”
Katalin Karikó, after decades of rejection and doubt, laid the groundwork for mRNA vaccines that saved millions of lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her journey stands as proof that persistence is often louder than recognition. Katie Bouman, whose work helped capture the first image of a black hole, echoed a truth many women in science live by:
“No one of us could have done this alone. It came together because of lots of different people from different backgrounds.”
And brilliance is not distant. It exists here in our small island as well.
In Sri Lanka, women in STEM continue to rise despite limited resources and long-standing expectations. Prof. Chandra Abeysekera has been a respected leader in physics and science education. Prof. Asha de Vos, Sri Lanka’s pioneering marine biologist, has shown the world that global science can emerge from island shores. Dr. Ramani Wijesekera has contributed extensively to research, education, and advocacy for women in science.
Their work may not always dominate headlines, but its impact is undeniable.
These women are not footnotes in science. They are defining it.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science demands more than admiration. It demands space, support, and recognition. It asks us to create classrooms where girls are encouraged to speak, laboratories where women lead without question, and futures where young scientists do not have to prove they belong.
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science calls on educators, institutions, and communities to create inclusive environments where curiosity is nurtured and ambition is supported, regardless of gender. By investing in education, mentorship, and equal opportunities, we pave the way for a future where women and girls are not the exception in science, but an equal and visible force within it.
On this day, we celebrate not only the achievements of women in science but also the potential of every girl who dares to wonder, explore, and innovate. The future of science is brighter when every mind is given the chance to shine.
To every girl at the Faculty of Science who has ever doubted herself: you are not here by chance. You are part of a lineage of women who questioned, persisted, and refused to shrink.
The future of science will not be defined by one woman’s name.
It will be defined by many!
And some of them are sitting right here; pipette in hand, notebook open, mind racing, ready to change the world.
Written by: Tharushi Silva
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