Liz Lee Heinecke—She Can STEM: 50 Trailblazing Women in Science from Ancient History to Today

Advance copy: Backstories on books by NASW members

She Can STEM

SHE CAN STEM:
50 TRAILBLAZING WOMEN IN SCIENCE
FROM ANCIENT HISTORY TO TODAY
Liz Lee Heinecke (NASW Member), Kelly Anne Dalton, illustrator
Quarry Books, February 13, 2024
Hardback, $19.99, eBook, $19.99
ISBN-13: 978-0760386064
ASIN: B0CBVL9LVM
For readers ages 7-12

Heinecke reports:

I was thrilled that Quarry Books agreed to compile the biographies of the women featured in my Kitchen Pantry Scientist book series into a single book titled, She Can STEM: 50 Trailblazing Women in Science from Ancient History to Today. While the Kitchen Pantry Scientist series gives equal time to biographies and science projects, She Can STEM puts the focus squarely on the scientists, phenomenal women who will inspire the next generation of scientists.

Liz Lee Heinecke
Photo by Amber Procaccini

While choosing which scientists to feature, I aimed to introduce readers to both well-known and less known scientists. Although I couldn’t interview each contemporary scientist I chose to write about, I did my best to contact all of them. Several were kind enough to talk to me, despite incredibly busy schedules. One of my goals was to learn about the women’s formative years, so I could tell the women’s stories in a way that would make them more relatable to young readers, including details such as their involvement in sports and the arts, and how they first got interested in science.

Writing biographies allowed me to write indirectly about the importance of scientific discovery as well. Several of the historical scientists in the book lost multiple siblings to infectious disease, for example. I pointed out that they were born at a time when vaccinations had not yet been invented.

As I delved into the world of each scientist, I searched for photos of each woman, along with the subject of her research and the equipment she used in the lab and field.

I sent these images to the wonderfully talented illustrator Kelly Anne Dalton, who created colorful, informative portraits of each scientist. The team at Quarto did a great job designing the book.

My favorite part of the book’s design is its table of contents, which contains a small portrait of each woman and looks a little bit like the Periodic Table of Elements.

Contact info:

Liz Lee Heinecke: 952-484-9957, lizleeheinecke@gmail.com, https://kitchenpantryscientist.com/, https://lizleeheinecke.com/
X (Twitter): @kitchpantrysci
Instagram: @lizheinecke
Book: She Can STEM: 50 Trailblazing Women in Science from Ancient History to Today
Publicist: Casey Ward, casey@caseywardpr.com
Agent: Victoria Wells Arms, victoria@hgliterary.com

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Banner image adapted from original photo by Liz Lee Heinecke.

Advance Copy

The path from idea to book may take myriad routes. The Advance Copy column, started in 2000 by NASW volunteer book editor Lynne Lamberg, features NASW authors telling the stories behind their books. Authors are asked to report how they got their idea, honed it into a proposal, found an agent and a publisher, funded and conducted their research, and organized their writing process. They also are asked to share what they wish they’d known when they started or would do differently next time, and what advice they can offer aspiring authors. Lamberg edits the authors’ answers to produce the Advance Copy reports.

NASW members: Will your book be published soon? Visit www.nasw.org/advance-copy-submission-guidelines for information on submitting your report.

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