Celebrating scientists with disabilities
The history of science contains many accomplished individuals who have had disabilities during their careers. From early Fellows of the Royal Society such as Nicholas Saunderson, a blind mathematician who held one of the most eminent positions in academia, to contemporary figures like theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking FRS, scientists with disabilities have been making important scientific contributions for centuries.
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting a selection of their stories, from historical figures to current experts working in the fields of experimental physics, volcanology, assistive technology, and more.
![Clare Halliday](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/clare-halliday-photographer-sasha-burdian.jpg)
Clare Halliday
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![Daisy Shearer](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/daisy-shearer.jpg)
Daisy Shearer
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![David Cornwell](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/david-cornwell.jpg)
David Cornwell
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![Dorothy Hodgkin](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/dorothy-hodgkin.jpg)
Dorothy Hodgkin FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting the work of…
![Hamied uses MRI imaging to identify changes caused by dementia to the structure and microstructure of the human brain](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/hamied-haroon.jpg)
Hamied Haroon
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting the work of…
![Harold Brewer Hartley](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/harold-brewer-hartley-950.jpg)
Harold Brewer Hartley FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![Jazmin Scarlett](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/jazmin-scarlett-950.jpg)
Jazmin Scarlett
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![Jessica Boland](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/jessica-boland-950.jpg)
Jessica Boland
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![John Ambrose Fleming](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/john-ambrose-fleming-230.jpg)
John Ambrose Fleming FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![John Cornforth](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/john-cornforth-950.jpg)
John Cornforth FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![John Dalton](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/john-dalton.jpg)
John Dalton FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![Professor John Hutchinson, wearing a navy patterned shirt and standing in front of a grey background, smiles at the camera.](/-/media/about-us/who-we-are/diversity/professor_john_hutchinson.jpg)
Professor John Hutchinson, FRS
To mark Disabilities Pride we're highlighting the work of scientists with disabilities.
![Nicholas Saunderson](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/nicholas-saunderson.jpg)
Nicholas Saunderson FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting the work of…
![Nikolaas Tinbergen](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/niko-tinbergen.jpg)
Nikolaas Tinbergen FRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting the work of…
![Ruth Fairclough](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/ruth-fairclough.jpg)
Ruth Fairclough
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting the work of…
![Lee Sang-Mook](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/lee-sang-mook.jpg)
Sang-Mook Lee
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![Sara Rankin](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/sara-rankin.jpg)
Sara Rankin
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we’re highlighting the work of…
![Solomon Lefschetz](/-/media/policy/topics/diversity-in-science/celebrating-scientists-with-disabilities/scientists-with-disabilities-2020/solomon-lefschetz-950.jpg)
Solomon Lefschetz ForMemRS
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…
![](/assets/images/default-card.jpg)
Wanda Díaz-Merced
To mark the International Day of People with Disabilities, we're highlighting the work of…