Increasing visibility of women scientists

[kekoziar]

Since the list names = ['Curie', 'Darwin', 'Turing'] is redefined in Episode 5, and there's no need to retain the previous names, I suggest replacing Turing with Lovelace (representing Ada Lovelace) e.g.

name = 'Rosalind'
for name in ['Curie', 'Darwin', 'Lovelace']:
    print(name)
print('after the loop, name is', name)

[edbennett]

Would the intention be to use a different list of names in different episodes? I was under the impression that the names were being kept the same between the two episodes to reduce the number of different lists that learners encounter, which may (slightly) reduce cognitive load.

If the plan is to remove Turing entirely, then I would point out that this would remove representation of LGBTQ+ scientists.

[kekoziar]

The intent is to increase representation of female scientists. As is evidenced by this lesson, the vast majority of my life the only female scientist people can name is Marie Curie. It'd be nice to use others. Perhaps Ada Lovelace or Sally Ride (who was an astronaut, physicist, closeted gay from the public, and the original whistle-blower on the Challenger disaster).

If anything, I'd rather replace Darwin with Sally Ride to increase both female and LGBTQ+ representation.

[ErinBecker]

FWIW I agree with replacing Darwin with Sally Ride.

[edbennett]

If the name list is kept consistent between the episodes that use names lists, then I would support replacing Darwin with Sally Ride as well (with or without replacing Turing with Ada Lovelace).

Do you think full names should be used rather than surnames? Lovelace would be easily searchable for the unfamiliar, but Ride less so.

[kekoziar]

If the name list is kept consistent between the episodes that use names lists, then I would support replacing Darwin with Sally Ride as well (with or without replacing Turing with Ada Lovelace).

Do you think full names should be used rather than surnames? Lovelace would be easily searchable for the unfamiliar, but Ride less so.

Yes, I was thinking about that. I don't think the extra names would make typing too onerous. ['Marie Curie', 'Alan Turing', 'Sally Ride'], then in the for loop in Episode 5 we could use Rosalind Franklin instead of only her first name.