Videos & Films on equity in mathematics, science & technology

Last modified: December 26, 2005
Please send corrections and suggestions for new listings to anand@cfdlab.ae.utexas.edu

Against the Odds (2000)

This 23-minute documentary is by Bigelow Currie Productions, a Canadian company operated by the mother-daughter team of Pixie Bigelow and daughter Susanne Currie. It profiles the stories of three Canadian women entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds who overcame incredible odds to emerge as successful entrepreneurs in the fields of Science and Internet Technology. It can be purchased in VHS video format from Kinetic Video.     In Canada:   Phone: 800 263-6910, 416 538-6613.   Fax: 416) 538-9984.     In the USA: Kinetic Video,   Phone: 800 466-7631, 716 856-7631. Fax: 716 856-7838.   Email: info@kineticvideo.com   Web site: http://www.kineticvideo.com

Amelia Earhart: The Price of Courage (1993)

This 60-minute video is a biographical portrait that explores facets of American aviator Amelia Earhart's life. It was produced by PBS and originally broadcast on the television program The American Experience. It is available for $19.95 from WGBH Educational Foundation: Item # WGW276; ISBN # 1-556633-118-8.   Phone: 888-255-9231.   Email: wgbh@ordering.com

Asking Different Questions: Women and Science (1996)

This is a 51-minute video documentary by Canadian directors Gwynne Basen and Erna Buffie. It profiles 5 women from different countries and looks at their scientific work, and the reflection of feminine values in their work. On video: $26.95.   Also available as film for $830. NFB (National Film Board of Canada) Video Sales: 800-267-7710.   Order number: 9196 053

Conceiving Ada (1997)

This is a fictionalized account of the life story of Ada Byron King, Countess of Lovelace, and her pioneering contributions to computer science, including inventing the first computer language and predicting its use in music, poetry and art. It is a regular feature film written, produced and directed by Lynn Hershman Leeson. Check out the film's web page for more details, including clips and the director's comments about making the film. This 85-minute film is available on video ($19.98) or DVD ($29.98) from Facets MultiMedia.   Address: 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL 60614.   Phone: 800-331-6197.   Email: sales@facets.org.

Discovering Women (1994)

This is a six-part series of 1-hour videos on notable women scientists and their lives, and what helped them succeed in traditional male-dominated fields. Part 1: High Energy - Melissa Franklin (physicist).   Part 2: Jewels in a Test Tube - Lynda Jordan (biochemist).   Part 3: Earth Explorer - Marcia McNutt (geophysicist).   Part 4: Secrets Underground - Patty Jo Watson (archeologist).   Part 5: Silicon Vision - Misha Mahowald (computational neuroscientist).   Part 6: DNA Detective - Lydia Villa-Komaroff (biologist). Available from distributor Films for the Humanities and Sciences

Dr. Ethel Allen: Minuses into Pluses (1985)

Inspiring biography of Dr. Ethel Allen, African American Physician and activist, who became a doctor when few blacks or women were allowed to do so. This is a 25-minute video available for $39.95, distributed by EPH Productions. Address: P.O. Box 1042, Ansonia Station, New York, NY 10023.   Phone: 212 799-9246.

Marie Curie movies

There are at least 3 different films on Marie Curie.

• Madame Curie (1943): This film, produced by MGM in 1944, is a biographical portrait of her life based on the book by her daughter. It is available in VHS video format, but may be hard to find.
• Marie Curie: More than Meets the Eye (1999): This movie is a fictional account that looks at some interesting aspects of Marie Curie's life and scientific discoveries from the perspective of two young girls. This is a fictionalized account of her life story, that still includes historically accurate biographical content. 54-minutes runtime

Minerva's Machine (1995)

This film, by the ACM committee on women, is a one-hour documentary that celebrates the history and the contributions of women in computing. It profiles successful women in the computing field today and their diversity. The film also explores the reasons why women began to leave the field in the mid-80s and why there are fewer women than men in computing today. The film has been broadcast on several PBS stations in the U.S. For more information on the film see the web page that ACM has setup for the movie. For a review of the film see the following web site. It is available in VHS video form for $39.95 (for non-ACM members) plus s&h charges. Address: ACM, Church Street Station, PO Box 12114, New York, NY 10257.   Phone: 800-342-6626.   Email: acmhelp@acm.org

Shortchanging Girls, Shortchanging America (1991)

This 15-minute video by The American Association of University Women is based on findings of their nationwide study of equity problems in schools across the U.S. It examines how inequities affect girls' self-esteem, career aspirations, educational experiences, and interest in math and science. The video is available in VHS format for $24.95 from the AAUW. Order from their website or by phone. Address: American Association of University Women, 1111 Sixteenth St. N.W., Washington, DC 20036.   Phone: 800 326-AAUW.   Email: info@aauw.org

Tech-Savvy Girls (2000)

This 30-minute video is based on the American Association of University Women research report, Tech-Savvy: Educating Girls in the New Computer Age. Narrator Mae Jemison, former NASA astronaut and president of the Jemison Group, examines the underrepresentation of girls in technology courses and careers and spotlights innovative steps taken by educators and parents to close the technology gender gap. The video costs $19.95 and is available from the Fairfax Network Video Store.   Phone: 800 233-3277.   Email: FFXNetwork@fcps.edu

Wavelets Making Waves in Mathematics and Engineering (1993)

This 90-minute video by the American Mathematical Society is on Princeton University Professor Ingrid Daubechies' work, life and career. It is available as VHS video for $54.95 (for non-AMS members) plus s&h charges. Phone: 800-321-4267 ISBN: 0-8218-8082-9

Women and Mathematics across Cultures (1996)

This 25-minute VHS video is produced by the European Women in Mathematics (EWM) It is directed by Marjatta Näätänen, and profiles the stories of 4 women mathematicians with careers based in Europe and N. & S. America. The women recount their personal experiences, and look at the impact of cultural pressures and differences. Available for 45 Euros, from the EWM (see web pointer above).   Address: Paula Steinby, Department of Mathematics, FI-20014 University of Turku, Finland.   Email: pauste@utu.fi

Women in Science (199?)

This video is a documentary by the National Women's History Project. It gives an overview of the history of women in science, as well as profiles six contemporary women scientists and their careers. It can be ordered from the NWHP Catalog. The video is 42 minutes in length and costs $50. Address: National Women's History Project, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, CA 95492.   Phone: 707 838-6000.   Email: nwhp@aol.com