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Science and Research
For History Week 2024 we're celebrating some of the women who have created history in Waverley. The following women have had a tremendous impact in the field of science and research.
Ruby Payne-Scott
Ruby Payne-Scott was a groundbreaking figure in radio physics and astronomy. Born in 1912, she excelled in physics and maths, and was accepted into Sydney University at 16. There were significant gender barriers and job challenges in her remarkable career as a female physicist, and she was a passionate advocate for gender rights and equality in the workplace. In 1945 Payne-Scott carried out some of the key early solar radio astronomy observations at Dover Heights. Between 1945-1947 she discovered three of the five categories of solar bursts originating in the solar corona and made major contributions to the techniques of radio astronomy.
Gloria Smythe
Gloria Smythe revolutionized beach fashion with the iconic Speedo. A Bronte resident, she began her career at East Sydney Technical College and later moved to London, working with Horrockes Fashions and studying at the London School of Fashion. Returning to Australia in 1954, she taught and wrote four books on pattern design. Joining Speedo in 1962, she created innovative swimwear including the controversial 1976 "budgie smugglers." Her designs improved speed through hydrodynamic fabrics and introduced fashion elements. Smythe's collection is in the Powerhouse Museum, and she received the Order of Australia medal in 2009 for her contributions to arts and swimming as an author, designer and teacher.
