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Women Inventors
Modern textbooks are lined with the names of female artists, politicians,
heroines and activists. Historically, famous women inventors, however, are
less evident in the various rosters of important contributors to Canadian
and, more specifically, Albertan society. While obscurity is a problem
faced by both male and female inventors, there are specific circumstances
that have pushed female innovators even further from the spotlight. In her
book Mothers and Daughters of Invention, historian Autumn Stanley attempts
to call attention to this imbalance and outlines some of the conditions
that may have led to a lack of recognition for female inventions and
innovations in the past.
Even though they possess an equal capacity for invention, Stanley argues,
there is currently no accurate historical record of exactly how many
inventions were by women. She outlines numerous historical reasons for
this disparity, including
- The expense of obtaining a patent put the process out of reach of most women
- Domestic, parental and social duties that have demanded a great deal of attention, and have not allowed for the time needed to complete the lengthy patent application process
- The ownership of a womans property by her husband (many inventions by women may have been patented under a spouses name)
- The availability, or lack thereof, of the high level of education or technical training required for women to translate their ideas into a "working, practical form"
- A reluctance of society to accept a woman's participation in inventive activities
Today, many scholars agree that women have been inventing since
prehistory in the areas of agriculture, medicine and within the domestic
sphere. If the spirit of invention is to solve problems and make life
easier, then it makes sense that within their spheres of influence women
would have been just as likely to generate inventive and innovative
solutions.
Despite an absence of public recognition, Alberta women
have been inventing and innovating since the turn of the century. Among
those who contributed to a long legacy of female inventors is
Frances Kallal.
A resident of Tofield, Alberta for 65 years, she created a hoe rake,
which was patented in 1943. The tool, a combination of a hoe and rake, was
invented to ease the burden of carrying multiple tools around her sizeable
garden. Likewise in 1995, Alberta inventor and entrepreneur
Laurie Tandrup
conceived the Travelbud, a child support system used separately or with
external equipment such as car seats and strollers.
It
would be impossible to list all of the female inventors and innovators who
have contributed to advances in Canadian society. The work of the early
inventors like Frances Kallal blazed a trail for todays female
innovators. As more and more women enter careers in engineering, science
and technology fields, their names are appearing beside substantial
breakthroughs and discoveries.
Dr. Terry Allen, a
pharmacology teacher and researcher at the University of Alberta, is one
of a vast array of female scientists making waves in the scientific
community. Dr. Allen developed and patented an important new cancer
treatment involving the use of liposomes.
Nancy Knowlton of Calgary capitalized on the
"Alberta Advantage" when she and her business partner David Martin began their company with their own capital. Years later, Smart Technologies Inc. is globally successful, supplying institutions as notable as the University of Western Ontario, NASA and the New York City Port Authority with their SMART Board, a whiteboard, computer and projector all in one that allows people to collaborate, in real-time in an electronically shared space.
Women inventors in the 21st century have many valuable
resources at their disposal. Professional organizations such as the
Alberta Women's
Enterprise Initiative Association (AWEIA) support business women with
an entrepreneurial and inventive drive through loan programs, business
coaching and online general information. Likewise, the
Inventive Woman
website offers a variety of resources, newsletters and profiles of
Canadian women who are among the countrys most important inventors and
innovators. Finally, academic organizations such as
WISEST
(Women in Scholarship, Engineering, Science and Technology), provide a
support system for women involved with cutting-edge research.
"Women of
Aspenland" by Catherine C. Cole
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