‘Magnificent lady!’: London physicist wins praise for finishing more than 1,600 Wikipedia bios of unknown women scientists

Wade won praise online as the news spiralled on the internet. A user commented, “Magnificent lady! What an incredible undertaking and celebration!” Another user wrote, “This is really cool. What an enormous undertaking.”

London-based physicist Jessica Wade who advocates for gender equality in STEM has written more than 1600 entries, not only to give due recognition but also to encourage young women to pursue careers in tech, math, science & engineering. pic.twitter.com/zdoJdfBig7

— GoodNewsMovement (@GoodNewsMVT) October 17, 2022

A Today report also said as her entries increased and gained recognition, several of them were also deleted by other Wikimedians. She told the media outlet these Wikimedians said a handful of the women she wrote about were not all that well-known.

She cited the example of Clarice Phelps, a young African-American nuclear chemist. Wade wrote a Wikipedia bio elaborating on her work on a team that discovered a new periodic-table element at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The entry bounced on and off in Wikipedia after criticism and Wade finally won her defence. Her entry is back on the platform.

Speaking as someone who knows what it's like to not get credit for your achievements, this is just beautiful. Great going Jessica Wade!

— Amias Coa (@AmiasCoa) October 17, 2022

Magnificent lady!
What an incredible undertaking and celebration!

— Fazzles (@farchie03) October 17, 2022

This is really cool. What an enormous undertaking.

— justajeffy (@justajeffy) October 17, 2022

“People assume girls don’t choose science because they’re not inspired,” Wade was quoted as saying in the Today report. “Girls are already interested. It’s more about making students aware of the different careers in science and getting parents and teachers on board.”