Thread by @professor_dave

To mark the end of Pride Month, here is a short thread to celebrate some trans scientists and their amazing contributions. These are great scientists, and great people who have risen above transphobia to succeed - that's worth celebrating.
#Pride2022

Lynn Conway is a computer scientist who revolutionised the design of the computer chip. Fired by IBM when she transitioned in the late 1960s, her contributions during the 1970s ushered in a new age of personal computing. In recent years, she has been a powerful trans advocate.

Ben Barres was a neurobiologist who transformed our understanding of brain cell function - in particular discovering astrocytes can play a key role in degenerative brain diseases. He talked frequently about sexism in science, and how barriers had lifted for him as a trans man.

Charlie Wand is a computational chemist in the UK. His work in modelling complex fluids based on polymers, surfactants and liquids plays a key role in optimising the materials of everyday life - from shampoo to ice cream. He is a powerful LGBT+ rights campaigner.

Rachel Padman is an astrophysicist in Cambridge renowned for outstanding educational work. On being made member of an all-female college in 1997, the backlash prefigured the transphobia that is increasingly rampant. Rachel has always been calm and forgiving - a true role model.

Izzy Jayasinghe is a cell biologist who uses ultra-high-resolution microscopy to understand the chemical signalling processes that control our bodies. One of the founding members of @tigerinstemm, she fights relentlessly for equality and inclusion.

Clara Barker is a materials scientist who manages the University of Oxford Centre for Applied Superconductivity, which develops materials for high-tech applications. She received the 'Points of Light' Award from the UK Prime Minister to recognise her voluntary LGBT+ work.

Jan Eldridge is a theoretical astrophysicist who understands the birth and death of stars - especially binary ones. She is Head of her Department, and a public engagement star, who regularly talks about how accurately science fiction represents astrophysics.

Sophie Wilson is a British computer scientist who developed 'ARM' - the compact processor that now sits inside almost all modern mobile phones. She has been ranked amongst the Top 10 most important Women in Tech.