Pais Prize (2022): Tomorrow began yesterday: Why history matters

As a historian of science, my broad aim is to improve the future by investigating the past – especially by pinpointing sources of inequality and encouraging young women to choose a career in science. Campaigners frequently stress the importance of role models, yet iconic figureheads can be unrealistic and reinforce the notion that female scientists are abnormal. In particular, the fame of Marie Skłodowska Curie has eclipsed recognition of her inspiring contemporaries. This paper discusses the achievements of Curie’s close friend, the eminent engineer Hertha Ayrton, and also explores the activities during World War One of the physicist Edith Stoney and the mathematician Ray Strachey.