ABSTRACT:
This study was developed from the perspective that science education must overcome teaching that focuses on scientific concepts, moving towards critical science education connected with the current political issues, as the relations between science and patriarchy. Marie Curie is a recurrent example in the literature of a woman in science. From this, we develop a study to answer the question: what conditions enabled Marie Curie to participate in science, and how the understanding of these conditions allows discussions in science education about the low occurrence of female examples in the history of science. Based on the Cultural History of Science approach and references from science education, the results indicate that discussing female scientist examples is insufficient to a female representation in science. The visibility of women in science is linked to the conditions to participate in scientific practices. Therefore, the structural conditions need to be expanded to have more women doing science.
Keywords:
Women in science; Patriarchy; Science education.