Glamour and Geology

Book excerpt: During the twentieth century, especially during World War II, female geologists were potrayed as having a glamourous and unique job. Newspapers, the oil industry, and other publications published stories about the glamorous working geologist, comparing them to movie stars and scientists working on the important production of oil. This book explores the image of the female geologist as it changed from the “accomplished” woman of the Victorian era to the professional, and glamourous geologists of World War II and beyond. Women working in geology, especially petroleum geology, embraced the image and some participated in its promotion. In those same newspaper articles, some geologists began to speak out and ultimately discuss some of the problems they experienced while working in the field and in industry. This book discusses the role of working women geologists not only in the profession, but as a part of popular culture in the twentieth century.