The scientific community has historically underestimated the contributions of female scientists, and this underestimation is reflected in the mass media and film productions, with the consequence of reinforcing stereotypes of greater alienation between science and women. Young women need to see the power of role models and engage in scientific research with confidence to truly achieve gender equality in science.
Christopher Nolan's high-profile film Oppenheimer was released in North America on July 21, 2023. The film tells the story of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb. But the Manhattan Project could not have come true without the efforts of many accomplished female scientists. The rare women in the movie trailer are either drying clothes, crying, or cheering for the male protagonist.
■ "Oppenheimer" promotional poster directed by Nolan
As a physics professor who studies how to support women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, and a film studies professor who used to be a screenwriter in Hollywood, I think the trailer's depiction of women reinforces stereotypes about who can achieve scientific success. It also represents a larger trend that women's contributions to science are not getting the recognition they deserve in contemporary media.
Lisa Meitner: Pioneer and role model of physics
The Manhattan Project could not have succeeded without the contribution of physicist Lisa Meitner, who discovered nuclear fission. Meitner used Einstein's formula E=MC² to calculate the energy released by splitting uranium atoms, a development that prompted Einstein to sign a letter urging President Roosevelt to start the U.S. atomic bomb research program.
Einstein called Meitner "Germany's Marie Curie," who, like Max Planck and Niels Bohr, is a real big name in physics. During his lifetime, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize by Bohr 48 times.
■ Lisa Meitner, the brilliant physicist who discovered nuclear fission. Material Scientist / Wikimedia Commons
Meitner never won an award. Winner for the discovery of nuclear fission was Otto Hahn, the male partner of Meitner who worked in Berlin's laboratory for 30 years. Hahn was under house arrest in Britain when he received the nomination, where he and other German scientists were being held to determine the progress of the Third Reich's atomic bomb program.
A Jew descendant, Meitner was forced to flee Nazi Germany in 1938, refusing to use this scientific discovery to develop an atomic bomb, and spent the rest of her life promoting nuclear disarmament and the responsible use of nuclear energy.
Meitner was not the only woman to make a significant contribution during that period of history. But in the mass media, physics models like Meitner "disappeared". She didn't become a character in the film simply because she wasn't part of the Manhattan Project, but we hope the script sheds light on the groundbreaking work she did.
■ At the Seventh Solvay Physics Conference in 1933, Lise Meitner sat in the front row, surrounded by male colleagues. Corbyn Historical / Getty Images
Lack of female representation
Only about 20 percent of undergraduate and doctoral students in physics are women. Social stereotypes and prejudices, the perception that women are less intelligent than men, the lack of role models, and the social atmosphere of indifference to physics have prevented many marginalized but talented students, including many female students, from pursuing physics and related subjects.
Social stereotypes and prejudices exert influence even before students enter the classroom. A common stereotype is that talent and IQ are important factors for success in physics. However, genius is often associated with boys, while girls tend to shy away from areas related to so-called "gifts" from an early age.
Studies have found that by age 6, girls are generally less convinced that they are "smart" than boys. As we get older, the norms of science classrooms and curricula often fail to represent girls' interests and values. All of these stereotypes and factors influence women's perceptions of their abilities to engage in physics research.
Studies have shown that at the end of a year-long college physics course, women who earn "A" have the same self-efficacy in physics as men who earn "C." A person's physical self-efficacy refers to the belief that they are good at solving physical problems, and a person's self-efficacy will shape the trajectory of their career.
Women who drop out of university science and engineering or change majors have significantly higher average grades than men. In some cases, the average grades of these women who dropped out were the same as those of men who completed their professional studies. Compared to men, women's achievements in physics courses are significantly less recognized. This recognition is the strongest predictor of whether a person will be able to make a difference in physics in the future, or whether he or she will achieve with the confidence of this achievement.
If the media were to give more recognition to women scientists like Meitner, it would have the potential to influence young women who look to them as role models, and this perception itself could improve young women's physical self-efficacy and sense of identity.
When Meitner began his career in the early 20th century, male physicists were looking for excuses to expel women from their labs. For example, their long hair could start a fire on a "Bunsen burner" (a gas-fueled laboratory heater). We like to believe that things have improved over the past century, but the underrepresentation of women in physics remains a concern.
■ There are many barriers to young women entering physics, but with role models, they are likely to succeed. Hill Street Studios/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Diversity is the wealth of science
If scientists from diverse backgrounds brainstorm together to solve challenging problems, not only can they design better, future-oriented solutions, but those solutions will also benefit a wider range of people.
An individual's life experiences influence their perspective. More than two centuries ago, for example, mathematician Ada Augusta envisioned applications far beyond the original inventors of the computer. Similarly, women today are more likely to focus on quantum computer applications that will benefit their communities. In addition, physicists from countries in the Global South are more likely to develop improved stoves, solar cells, water purification systems or solar lamps. The perception of scientific issues by different groups can lead to more innovation.
Our intention is not to disparage Oppenheimer as a film, but to point out that by not focusing on different voices, including the voices of female physicists like Meitner, filmmakers reinforce long-standing stereotypes of physics and female non-affiliation, while young women still fail to see the power of role models to inspire them on the path to science.
Female physicists aren't represented in the media – and this lack of representation hurts the physics field. By Carl Crand, Sandraleka Sheen