Today I found myself attending a talk on mortar propellants. It was delivered by a shy young woman who looked to be no older than a high school senior- she looked like a babysitter you’d hire to stay at home with the kid while you treated the wife unit to a night out on the town. Yet she was an expert in mortar shell propellants.
Next, I attended a talk on flare compositions delivered by a tiny woman who could barely see above the podium.
I rounded the day off by attending a talk by a woman who presented her results on igniter design and in developing a new explosive propellant manufacturing process. During the Q&A, my questions on ignition mechanisms were answered by yet another woman who was exceedingly knowlegeable in this field.
What I have noticed is that the gun and rocket propellant R&D field is populated with women to a much greater degree than the industrial organic or organometallic chemistry waters in which I normally swim.
Before you fire a rude comment alleging some sexist malfeasance, please understand that I was raised by a single mother as the eldest of 5 kids. That, and having witnessed the birth of my child, I have no doubt whatsoever about the robustness and Ability of women.
That women do this isn’t news. What is noteworthy is the extent to which my ignorance remains so great at age 51. My caveman misconception was that explosives chemistry would not appeal to women. I had mistakenly and foolishly assumed that a career with explosives was largely a male domain and driven by male fascination with power. Holy cats. I was quite mistaken.
I seem to be wrong about a lot of things these days.
Lamentations on Chemistry 
I can imagine the sites that will be linked here based on your comments. Janes or Pentagon weekly might very well become a sponsor.
Quite frankly having been involved with several startups I can tell you management would always send out the hottest babes the company had to to sell at trade shows or give presentations.
Why?
Because most scientists are men (FACT) just as most soldiers are men (FACT), hence the wow factor invoked by a display of femininity is amplified to the factor of (W)2.
…and it may well e the result of active recruiting. Thirty years ago, the oil companies were so keen of employing females that they would pay for your master’s and offer you a five years contract.
I thought the attitude was changing, but it is not the case: it is a fancy that comes and goes with managers.
I tend to agree that there may be some selection biases on who appears at conferences. But I am awestruck nonetheless.
i agree
When Klapotke’s CN7 anion paper came out and was discussed on In the Pipeline, at least some of us wondered how desirable the field is, and at least one person noted the need to explosive chemists. Maybe women are filling posts where they are more likely to be judged by their ability and less likely to be encumbered with baggage because they are needed.
In addition, there is Gree’ve at Idaho. Perhaps she is a pipeline for female chemists into explosives/propellants?