Stop women scientists being written out of Wikipedia history

The Royal Society is urging people to help it shine a light on the achievements of women in science in a forthcoming 'edit-athon'Jonathan Jones on art: is Wikipedia the best place to promote women in art?Professor Dame Julia Slingo is not a shadowy figure. As chief scientist at the Met Office, she is an expert on a national obsession and has barely been out of the spotlight since Britain was taken by storm. But hunt for her on Wikipedia and just five short paragraphs pop up."Many female scientists are either not there at all on Wikipedia or just [have] stubs," said Dame Athene Donald, fellow of the Royal Society and professor of experimental physics at Cambridge University. "It's not just the historical characters, it's the current ones, and these very eminent women just somehow get overlooked."Now the Royal Society, in partnership with the Royal Academy of Engineering, is throwing open its doors and encouraging enthusiastic volunteers to go on to Wikipedia and blow the trumpet for unassuming women whose contributions to science and engineering are far from modest. Taking place on 4 March ahead of the celebrations surrounding International Women's Day, the edit-athon will include a crash course in creating new entries, while assistance will be on hand as participants write, tweak and refine."It's really spreading knowledge and awareness of female scientists, and that there were a lot more than you might think," said Anna Knutsson, one of those who has already signed up. "I re...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Wikipedia Royal Society News Women Technology Life and style Internet The Observer Science Source Type: news