Annie Jump Cannon

As the first woman to receive the Henry Draper Medal from the National Academy of Sciences, Cannon symbolizes a significant accomplishment for women in science and education. Born in 1863, she was inspired by her mother to pursue STEM studies. Cannon's mother was a significant influence on her career, motivating her to pursue mathematics and science in college. Even before completing her master's degree, Annie had published her first catalog of stars in 1901, revolutionizing how scientists classified them. Later, after being appointed curator at Harvard's observatory, she excelled at star classification, cataloguing approximately 350,000 stars throughout her life.

Related links: Women's History, Amphilsoc, and Harvard