1924 – 2016
Ruth Hubbard (1924–2016) was an American biologist and feminist philosopher of science, and one of the first women to hold a tenured biology professorship at Harvard University. She became a leading critic of biological determinism, arguing that scientific knowledge—particularly claims about sex, gender, and race—is shaped by social and political contexts. Her work bridged empirical biology and social theory, challenging the pretense of value-neutrality in science.
Pioneered feminist critique of biology, exposing how gender bias shapes scientific claims
One of the first women to receive tenure in biology at Harvard University
Authored 'The Politics of Women's Biology' (1990), a foundational feminist science studies text
Co-authored 'Exploding the Gene Myth' (1993), challenging genetic determinism
Contributed foundational arguments for the social construction of scientific knowledge and biological categories