On Tuesday 16 November 2021, NASA Astronaut, Marine Biologist and Comparative Physiologist Dr Jessica U. Meir, Ph.D. visited the Department of Physiology, Anatomy & Genetics (DPAG) to unveil a new plaque honouring one of DPAG's earliest pioneering women, Mabel Purefoy FitzGerald.
Dr Meir made history in 2019 by being part of the historic first all-female spacewalk, and she is ready to do it again by attempting to be the first woman on the moon. With NASA’s Artemis programme set to land the first woman on the moon in 2024, Dr Meir hopes she can fulfil her childhood dream of walking in the footsteps of Neil Armstrong.
The new plaque she unveiled this week is part of an ongoing project by The Physiological Society to erect blue plaques across the United Kingdom and Ireland celebrating and recognising institutions where distinguished physiologists have made significant contributions to the discipline. The Society's plaques ultimately honour outstanding physiologists who have contributed to the advancement of physiology through their discoveries while leaving a legacy beyond their lifetime.
Read the full story on the DPAG website
Dr Jessica Meir also delivered the Sherrington Prize Lecture: Public Understanding of Science, inspiring the next generation of scientists and explorers.