Rosalind Franklin Only Female Scientist Named in UK GCSE Science Exams, Study Finds

Rosalind Franklin is the sole female scientist named in UK GCSE and National 5 science exam specifications, according to new research from the University of Cambridge and collaborating institutions in the US and Australia.

The study, published in the British Educational Research Journal, analyzed exam specifications from six UK exam boards: AQA, Cambridge OCR, Pearson Edexcel, WJEC, CCEA, and Qualifications Scotland. These specifications outline the knowledge and skills students are expected to acquire. Of the 86 scientists mentioned in Key Stage 4 (GCSE and equivalent) science specifications, Franklin, an English chemist whose work was crucial to understanding the structure of DNA, was the only woman.

Franklin's contributions, particularly her famous Photograph 51, were instrumental in Francis Crick and James Watson determining DNA's double-helix structure in 1953. While Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1962 for the discovery, Franklin had passed away four years prior.

The research further found that at Key Stage 5 (A-levels and equivalent), out of 181 scientists named, only three were women. These included American cartographer Marie Tharp, who created the first map of the Atlantic Ocean floor, and Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann, who discovered the Earth's inner core. Both Tharp and Lehmann are featured in Cambridge OCR's A-level Geology specification.

Academics involved in the study noted that numerous significant scientific breakthroughs were made by women but were not explicitly credited in the exam specifications. They attributed this to the historical dominance of men in science and mathematics during periods when many foundational discoveries were made. The findings indicate that current UK science specifications reflect this historical imbalance, with women's contributions often unacknowledged.

Recommendations from the study suggest that Franklin should be included in all specifications when teaching DNA structure. The researchers also proposed mentioning Marie Curie, a pioneer in radioactivity research, and nuclear physicist Lise Meitner, who discovered nuclear fission, among other notable women in science.

Stephanie Buttigieg, one of the study's authors, emphasized the importance of relatable role models in STEM fields, stating that they can help retain more girls by fostering a sense of belonging and encouraging positive attitudes towards scientific careers.

Exam boards, represented by the Joint Council for Qualifications, acknowledged the need for greater representation in science qualifications and indicated it would be a focus during future reforms. Qualifications Scotland stated that the Curriculum Improvement Cycle provides an opportunity to address gender representation in future qualifications and assessments. The Department for Education in England committed to improving the school curriculum to ensure girls can see the contributions of women in STEM, while the Scottish Government expressed commitment to closing the gender gap in STEM and will consider the research findings.