Women in STEM Wednesday: Ida Henrietta Hyde

Women in STEM have faced incredible barriers, but one trailblazer defied all obstacles and pursued her passion for higher education and acclaim in science. What makes her even more exceptional? She created ladders to help other women reach those same goals more easily after her.

When I was researching Ida Hyde’s life, I was in search of more knowledge about her invention of the microelectrode. What I found was an amazing life story of an incredibly talented and determined scientist!

TODAY we celebrate: Ida Henrietta Hyde. Physiologist. Trailblazing scientist. All around bad a** women.

Outspoken and determined, Ida never gave up her pursuit of a science education and career in research. Not only did her family NOT support her decision to attend college (even while funding her brothers’ education), she faced even more discrimination while earning her PhD (women weren’t allowed to attend lectures, so she had to work from the notes of male lab assistants!). Ida found ways to fund her pursuit through side-teaching gigs, and never deterred, earning her doctorate at the age of 39 - on February 12, 1896.

Ida went on to establish the Physiology department at Kansas University, invent the microelectrode used in neurophysiology today, and set up multiple fellowship opportunities for women pursing education in science.

Ida Hyde never had children, I wasn’t able to find information on whether she would have wanted to have them or not. Unfortunately, the times then (and even now) would have seriously impaired her abilities to realize her dreams while also raising children. Ida taught many years at public and prep schools to make a living, she paved the way for so many women to reach their science research dreams after her, so in a way… I like to think Ida Hyde was also a mom figure in the lives of many. Not your typical mom - a determined, science genius mom.

Thank you Ida Hyde, for staying the course and making it possible for others (like me) to follow in your footsteps.

To read more about Ida Hyde, check out these references below. And be sure to read Ida’s firsthand account of gender bias in the pursuit of her PhD - “Before Women Were Human Beings” published in AAUW Journal.

Ida Hyde Article - Kansas University Emily Taylor Center

AAUW Article - Disruptive Women Scientists

Jewish Women’s Archive - Ida Henrietta Hyde

Happy Birthday Ida Hyde - Article from The Guardian