Laura Bassi became the first woman to hold a university professorship. A scholar of natural philosophy and experimental physics, she established an academic career at the University of Bologna at a time when women were still largely excluded from university science.

Isabelle Stone earned a PhD in physics at the University of Chicago, where her doctoral work investigated the electrical resistance of thin films. Her research provides a striking historical link to thin-film materials and electrical properties that remain central to technologies such as photovoltaics today.

Katharine Burr Blodgett developed a method for building up monomolecular layers on glass, leading to highly transparent, non-reflective coatings known as “invisible glass”. Her pioneering work on ultra-thin films became an important foundation for thin-film and coating technologies, with applications extending to fields including solar energy conversion.

Today, women are an established part of the PERSEUS project, contributing across scientific, technical, management and other project roles. Their presence is particularly strong in project leadership roles, showing how participation can translate into meaningful involvement in the direction and delivery of research and innovation.