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Throughout science careers many men and women discovered, created, and shared the mysteries of nature. Many people contributed but not all were recognized. Some were forgotten or ignored because of race, ethnicity, or gender. The following two women, Rosalind Franklin and Anna Wessels Williams, made enormous contributions in the field of science, which greatly impacted the future. Rosalind Franklin (1920-1958) attended St. Paul’s Girls School where she first came to love physics and chemistry. She earned her degree in natural science, with a specialty in chemistry, at Newnham College, Cambridge. She studied molecular biology. Years later, 1951 she discovered the structure of DNA, double helix shape, She further explains in her paper, The Structure of Sodium Thymonucleate Fibres. I. The Influence of Water Content, how DNA is composed of molecules and long chains of nucleotides. James Watson and Francis Crick later confirmed her discoveries. Rosalind Franklin was never nominated for the Nobel Prize. Not only did Rosalind Franklin work on uncovering the mysteries of DNA structure but her studies also led to the work on the tobacco mosaic virus and the polio virus. Franklin was very successful at decoding life’s secrets but throughout her career she faced many struggles. Anna Wessels Williams (1863-1954) was born in Hackensack, New Jersey. Williams attended college at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). In 1887 Williams had a family crisis, one of her sisters nearly died while giving birth. Williams was angered at the inexperienced doctors, who were unable to help her sister. Williams decided to enter the medical profession in hopes of having control over life threatening situations. Williams attended the Women’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary. At the bacteriology laboratory at the New York City Department of Health she began her work in search of an antitoxin for diphtheria, leading cause of death among children. Through out her life she worked to uncover the causes of life threatening diseases. Anna Wessels Williams was the first women to be elected chair of the laboratory section of the American Public Health Association. These two extraordinary women contributed and furthered the research of life. Franklin and Williams did however face many difficulties. During her time at King’s College, Franklin was discriminated against because of her gender. Women were excluded from the staff dining hall or away from the university. One unfair misdeed that caused much controversy in later years was awarding the Nobel Prize to Watson and Crick, many felt that award should have been under Franklin’s name. Anna Wessels Williams also faced struggles. In 1934, Williams was forced into retirement. Living in New York, the mayor ruled a mandatory retirement for city employees over seventy years old. Reference: Franklin, ROSALIND E., and R. G. Gosling. "The structure of sodium thymonucleate fibres. I. The influence of water content." Acta Crystallographica 6.8-9 (1953): 673-677. Elkin, Lynne. "Rosalind Elsie Franklin." Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on January 9, 2013) <http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/franklin-rosalind>. "Anna Wessels Williams." World of Health. Gale, 2006. Biography In Context. Web. 3 Mar. 2013 "Anna W. Williams." Scientists: Their Lives and Works. Gale, 2006. Science In Context. Web. 3 Mar. 2013 Park, William Hallock, Anna Wessels Williams, and Charles Krumwiede.Pathogenic microörganisms: a practical manual for students, physicians, and health officers. Lea & Febiger, 1920. Image Source: Rosalind Franklin "The Discovery of the Molecular Structure of DNA - The Double Helix". Nobelprize.org. 10 Jan 2013 http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/dna_double_helix/readmore.html "Dr. Anna Wessels Williams." Women: Changing the face of medicine. National Institute of Health Biography. (Viewed on March 5, 2013) <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/changingthefaceofmedicine/physicians/biography_331.h tml >