Deborah Boerner Ein, Carol Spacht, and Dr. Nadya Sotnychuk. PHOTO: Ted Prohowich
International Women’s Day was celebrated on March 8, at the Millville Historical Society with a program entitled “Trailblazing Women in Science.” The event focused on the lives of two revolutionary and inspiring women—Mary Treat, a 19th-century pioneering naturalist who lived in Vineland for five decades and Dr. Ruth Patrick, a 20th-century freshwater ecologist.
The first part of the program was presented by Deborah Boerner Ein, author of Mary Treat: A Biography as well as Mary Had a Little Zoo, a read-aloud coloring book about the dedicated scientist. Treat contributed to the fields of ecology and botany and was a correspondent of Charles Darwin. Ein, currently the editor of SNJ Today, discussed how Treat contributed to the women’s suffrage movement in her own way by being a trailblazer in the male-dominated fields of natural science. For those who would like to know more about Mary Treat or to purchase Ein’s books, visit marytreat.com
Then, Carol Spacht, an actor from the American Historical Theatre in Philadelphia, took on the persona of botanist and limnologist Dr. Ruth Patrick, who “broke through the gender barrier of the early 20th century to become a pioneer environmentalist in the area of freshwater ecology…. Her work on water quality and pollution made her an advisor to five Presidents of the United States and a recipient of the National Medal of Science.” (American Historical Theatre)
Both Ein and Spacht gave fascinating presentations to a packed house. Also joining the celebration was Dr. Nadya Sotnychuk, author of 60 Women of STEAM: Coloring Book for All Ages.
PHOTOS: BILL HORIN/ARTC
