Rita Colwell is a pioneering microbiologist and the first woman to lead the National Science Foundation. She is a Distinguished University Professor at both the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health and has received awards from the emperor of Japan, the king of Sweden, the prime minister of Singapore, and the president of the United States. She is the author of A Lab of One's Own. Sharon Bertsch McGrayne is the author of five books on the history of science, including Nobel Prize Women in Science, The Theory That Would Not Die, and A Lab of One's Own, which she coauthored with Rita Colwell. She lives in Seattle.
With her characteristic wit, Rita Colwell has produced a compelling portrait of a better future for science and instructions for how to achieve it. - Dr. Jo Handelsman, director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery In this, an era of changing climate and sweeping epidemics, we need great scientists more than ever. Yet for generations, women scientists have been under-funded, condescended to, denied jobs and lab space, and robbed of recognition for their discoveries and contributions. Rita Colwell has been a leader in the fight to change all that. You will be riveted by the true story of how she and other women scientists methodically undertook to challenge biases and dismantle barriers, using the classic tools of their discipline: facts, data, measurement, and the persistence to try and try and try yet again. - Liza Mundy, New York Times bestselling author of Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II Colwell's behind-closed-doors accounts of seismic events - the Deep Horizon oil spill, anthrax bioterrorism attacks, cholera pandemics, Title IX legislation, and MIT's discrimination against women scientists, to name a few - will inspire generations of scientists to advance knowledge for the greater good. - Dr. Michele Swanson, former president of the American Society for Microbiology Beautifully written... as much a call to arms as it is autobiography. An unforgettable tell-all that's rife with details of insurrection, scientific breakthrough, and overcoming the odds. - Kirkus Reviews (starred review) A terrific adventure story through the world of science: overcoming the bad guys, forging teams to fight battles, and doing the right thing when needed... Rita Colwell's rousing memoir is an inspiration. - Dr. Ben Shneiderman, professor of computer science at the University of Maryland, College Park A refreshingly candid story of how the tenacity and grit of one of the world's great scientists enabled her to overcome prejudice and push back cultural and bureaucratic barriers to transform a research field that saves lives and open doors for other women in science. - Dr. Neal Lane, former chancellor of the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs A great read and a profound commentary on the challenges that women in academic science have faced. - Dr. Jennifer Doudna, professor of molecular and cell biology and of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley A fascinating account, full of detail about the crises solved under Rita Colwell's leadership, among them the fight against cholera and the Anthrax scare during the early part of this century. - Dr. France Anne Cordova, former director of the National Science Foundation and former president of Purdue University A Lab of One's Own is both a human and a humane story... wonderfully readable for scientists and non-scientists alike. - Dr. Hilary Lappin-Scott, OBE, former president of the Society for General Microbiology [A] beautifully written memoir....Colwell's grit and brilliance shine through on every page of the book, which is as much a call to arms as it is autobiography....An unforgettable tell-all that's rife with details of insurrection, scientific breakthrough, and overcoming the odds. -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Colwell's forthright memoir is an inspiring read for women embarking on a career or experiencing career challenges. The book is also a must-read for those in higher education seeking to support women in S.T.E.M. -- Library Journal