Carmen Gómez-Fayrén de las Heras is a PhD student in theoretical physics at the Institute of Theoretical Physics (IFT) in Madrid, Spain. She has conducted extensive research into historical women physicists in Spain during the early 20th century. In particular, she has been interested in learning about Piedad de la Cierva, who was at the Niels Bohr Institute from 1935 to 1936.
How did you discover your relation to Piedad de la Cierva, and what did this mean to you?
Last year, my cousins shared an article in the WhatsApp group we have from a newspaper in my region, Murcia. The article talked about the city cemetery and highlighted, among others, my grandfather, who was a mayor, and mentioned that he was buried next to his cousin, “the scientist Piedad de la Cierva.” I didn’t know who it was referring to, which is quite strange, considering my family likes telling old stories. The thing is, I knew of ancestors who were doctors, judges… all men, but not a female scientist. So, out of curiosity, I “googled” her. I even found a Wikipedia page and started reading about her. It turned out that she was not only a scientist with some experience, but quite a pioneer – one of the few women who obtained a doctorate in Sciences during the Spanish Second Republic. She had traveled and visited several internationally prestigious centers in her field, such as Niels Bohr’s institute, and was also the only female scientist in the first constitution of the CSIC in 1940.
I have studied Physics and am currently pursuing a PhD in Theoretical Physics. The fact that she was not mentioned, nor her legacy discussed, even within her own family, prompted me to investigate her further. It was a mix of sadness, for not remembering her legacy, and excitement, for discovering her and realizing that I was not the only one or the first scientist in the family. I then decided that I needed to do something to give her some recognition, even if it was just a small project, given my resources. I have to admit that, little by little, this project has become bigger than I ever imagined, and that’s amazing.
How did you develop the idea to research historical women physicists in Spain?
Firstly, I spoke with the institution where I’m doing my PhD, the IFT (Theoretical Physics Institute, Madrid). I explained to them “my discovery” and that I wanted to do something to recognize her. They offered me the opportunity to give a talk about Piedad de la Cierva as part of the activities they organized for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11). Then, I began to look for information, and I was really impressed when I discovered not only her scientific career but also the careers of a whole group of women who were dedicated to Science in Spain in the 1930s. Meeting Piedad was just the beginning of a great discovery for me about a brilliant era of scientific research in Spain. Studying her allowed me to get closer to and explore the Silver Age of Spanish Science, learning about research, institutions, scientific groups, and especially the large number of women who were beginning to enter these circles, which, just a few years earlier, were exclusively male.
In this way, I realized that I couldn’t speak only about Piedad because there was a list of women scientists who were also unrecognized and had been forgotten. So, I decided that I had to include them all.
Since I had much more information about Piedad from my family, her written memoirs, and because she did not have to go into exile, it was much easier to follow her life and learn about other women along the way – colleagues and pioneers about whom there was less information. As Piedad witnessed this first participation of women in Science, I decided to accompany her on her journey with her memories and writings so that we could also experience this period more closely, including all these women. I wanted to give them the space and time they deserve.
If you could highlight 5 of the most prominent and interesting women from your research, who would make the list and why?
There were many women – I found many more than I expected. At the Spanish Institute of Physics and Chemistry in the 1930s, more than 22% of the members were women, which is incredible. Given the environment, the era, and Spanish society at that time, all of them seem worth mentioning and remembering. However, I have come to empathize more with some, perhaps because of my own experiences or thoughts.
One of the women who appears in my research is María Moliner. She was not a scientist, but when reading Piedad’s memoirs, I was struck by how she talked about the wife of her Physics teacher, who took her in while she studied in Valencia. Piedad spoke of this marriage as truly impressive because it was the first time she had seen an egalitarian couple where the woman shared her opinions on politics, was an intellectual, and even managed the family finances. I didn’t know her name – I searched and searched, but no one mentioned it. So, I began investigating myself, and it turned out to be María Moliner. This made me very excited; I couldn’t believe it. It really had to be her – it was a wonderful discovery! María Moliner was a career philosopher, one of the first Spanish university women, and an archivist and librarian by profession. But her greatest achievement is undoubtedly her “Dictionary of Spanish Usage,” recognized worldwide in the Spanish-speaking world and praised by great academics and intellectuals. My mother is a librarian as well, and María has always been praised in my house, so seeing that both worlds came together almost 100 years ago seemed like a very nice coincidence to me. I couldn’t think of a better woman with whom Piedad could marvel and learn what it was like to be a hard-working, independent woman than María Moliner.
Similarly, I would also like to highlight María de Maeztu. She was not a scientist either, but she did more for the inclusion of women in Science than most male leaders and scientists. She was the only woman with a high position in the Spanish teaching institution and directed the Ladies’ Residence, which was essential for allowing women from all over Spain to come to Madrid and expand their knowledge, studies, and practices in the Foster Laboratory of this residence. On many occasions, women did not have the opportunity to use certain laboratories, which were exclusively for men. María de Maeztu’s work was crucial for the inclusion of women in Science in Spain.
Speaking of female scientists, if anyone opened the door for us in Spain, it was Felisa Martín. She was the first woman to earn a doctorate in Physics in 1926, and she certainly had interesting experiences – even meeting Rutherford! Later, she dedicated her entire life to meteorology, which is a branch of physics that I liked during my years in college and even considered pursuing. I think Felisa would have many things to share with us.
I would also like to highlight Dorotea Barnés because I think she is one of the greatest lost talents I have discovered. She was incredibly talented, hardworking, and efficient. After her stay at Yale, she published the first article in Spanish on Raman spectroscopy, becoming the first person to introduce this technique in Spain and serving as a reference for her colleagues, both men and women. I have read several texts from other scientists recognizing her at that time, but over time, and especially after the Civil War when she was punished and unable to continue her research, we have forgotten her. Who knows how far her research would have gone if she had had that chance? In particular, I was very moved by a letter I found that Dorotea wrote to María de Maeztu during her stay in the USA, praising the inclusion and effort of those universities to welcome women and provide them with their own space. In Spain, many of these women felt uncomfortable in this male-dominated world, which led to many abandoning their careers. There, the inclusion seemed more active.
Finally, I want to highlight María Teresa Toral. Her research career is also relevant, but what fascinated me most was her resilience in the face of the Franco regime. After years of research at the Rockefeller Institute, she was imprisoned for three years during the Civil War by her friends (especially poets). After her release, a trial was reopened, and she was again threatened with the death penalty. Both the International Committee of Anti-Fascist Women and Irene Joliot-Curie herself were closely attentive to the outcome. In the end, she was exiled to Mexico, where she continued her research and began a creative project of engraving poems using her knowledge of Chemistry. I also like to find ways to develop my creativity; I think it is important to do more than just science. They are not incompatible – science and art come together more often than we believe.
Can you share any challenges you faced during your research into historical women physicists and how you overcame them?
Obviously, the most challenging part of this investigation was the search for and discovery of information. Due to the period and the traumatic years that Spain experienced afterward, there isn’t much information about many of these women. Because they were so young, and given the time and the exiles, not as much information was collected as there would be now. It is very difficult to find documentation; many records were even erased when they were purged by the Franco regime. It was truly a challenge that I wasn’t aware of at first because I had never done work at this level of historical research, and I had never faced something like this. Fortunately, I had great help. In addition to spending days and nights searching and studying – because I became quite obsessed, as every piece of information fascinated me – I received assistance from both Inmaculada Alva, a History professor at the University of Navarra, and my mother, who is a librarian and also a historian. They helped me when I didn’t know where to turn. I know how to calculate things, not how to research historical archives! But I admit that I enjoyed it, and it was very fun.
For me, it was also emotionally difficult to read and uncover so many stories from those years in Spain. I came to empathize deeply with many of these individuals, and it hurt me; I think terrible injustices were committed. Those years in Spain were very hard, and they marked the rest of the century because they signaled the beginning of a fascist dictatorship – something from which I believe Spain has not yet fully recovered. That’s why it was quite hard for me to emotionally deal with those years and those stories. But it is necessary to bring these things to light and talk about them, no matter how uncomfortable they may make some people. Only by recognizing and criticizing mistakes can we learn. No human being should have to go through such situations anywhere in the world.
How do you think the contributions of historical women physicists in Spain have influenced modern scientific research and the role of women in science today?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is much shorter than it should be. In Spain, those years were quite traumatic, and what followed was a complete disaster for the advancement and progress that had been made in the inclusion of women in academic circles. I could say that practically all this legacy was erased, and we had to start from scratch. Most of these women were purged and punished by the Franco regime because of their ideology, their friendships, or simply for having a formal education and critical thinking. As a result, many left Science forever, so their contributions were brief and limited. Others had to go into exile, and we lost their talent. Some saw their research erased or even stolen and used by the regime without receiving any recognition. Most of them were silenced. Yet, they did make progress – such as Dorotea’s work in Raman spectroscopy and Piedad’s anti-reflective sheets. The only issue is that all of this has remained invisible and unacknowledged for a long time, so people do not know about it.
It seems to me that the philosophy of the institution responsible for research in Spain at that time is quite similar to the one that exists now, as they focused on the greatest possible equity in terms of granting scholarships, with their main objective being the international training of their researchers. I think that is a point that, although Spain has been avoiding it for most of the 20th century – since even in the 1940s, the entry of women into research buildings was prohibited – it has currently been resumed, and we now have a nearly equal approach to science, depending on the field to a greater or lesser extent.
However, I must reiterate that due to the Spanish Civil War, all research and research centers in Spain were closed, and when the Franco regime took control, it not only persecuted and purged many scientists but also caused Spanish science to lose all the essence and philosophy that had accompanied it. We lost a great deal of documentation, names, and talent, which means that these stories, including those of these women, are not widely known. They illustrate the tremendous injustices of those years, a loss of talent, training, and people that should never happen again, although it seems that human beings never learn. Perhaps now is the time to give them the space and recognition they have always deserved.
What motivated you to pursue a career in physics, and how did you choose your current specialization?
Actually, I was never sure what I wanted to study. I always liked Mathematics, and I was good at it. I thought it was cool because it made sense and things turned out the way they logically should. When I was older, in my last years of high school, I really liked Philosophy, especially the Philosophy of Science, and I seriously considered studying that. In the end, due to circumstances, I decided to study Physics since it would offer more professional opportunities and it was a way of doing Mathematics with an interpretation that allowed me to think more deeply about what each calculation meant. Once in college, I discovered Theoretical Physics, which seemed incredible and caught my attention, especially Gravity. So, I decided to do my master’s degree at the IFT and study the most fundamental physics of the universe that we still don’t understand. Even though we have GPS, iPhones, lasers, and other technologies, we still do not know how everything out there works or is formed.
What research is your PhD focused on?
My PhD is focused on studying different theories of Gravity. In particular, the aim of my PhD thesis is to formulate and determine the thermodynamics of black holes within new theories, such as string theories or supergravity.
The thermodynamics of black holes plays a fundamental role in understanding these objects, as their properties are analogous to the principles of conventional thermodynamics. In this sense, if any thermal system is associated with a temperature and an entropy, then each black hole would also have these intrinsic magnitudes – properties that characterize the object. Furthermore, there is the idea that each black hole is fully described by three conserved charges: its mass, its charge, and its angular momentum. This concept is known as the No-Hair Theorem. Thus, a series of laws of black hole mechanics have been formulated that are analogous to the well-known laws of thermodynamics, relating these mechanical quantities to thermodynamic quantities. These quantities are calculated by studying the particular black hole and are related to the symmetries and structure of the spacetime it generates. However, this entire study was based on a four-dimensional theory of gravity, General Relativity, which does not align with Quantum Physics. This discrepancy led to the development of several candidate theories, including string theories and supergravity.
In my research group, we study how the symmetries of new theories and new parameters (such as scalar fields, magnetic fields, etc.) can modify and extend thermodynamic statements and laws. In this way, we attempt to generalize these laws by studying the symmetries of gravity theories in higher dimensions and calculating the new conserved charges that they produce.
Who have been your role models and mentors, and how have they inspired and supported you?
Clearly, I didn’t know about Piedad until a few months ago, so she hasn’t influenced my decisions. However, now, all of these women have become important references for me.
I think the first time I realized I really liked Mathematics was when I was about 15 years old, thanks to a high school teacher, Rafa Pérez Mengual. He was so passionate about the subject, and his classes were the most fun. He was genuinely thrilled to teach us simple things like a couple of equations. I loved seeing someone get so excited about Mathematics and really convey that enthusiasm. He passed that excitement on to me.
During my degree, I also had great teachers, and some of them believed in me more than I did myself; that always helps motivate a student. Later, at the IFT, during my Master’s program, I met my current PhD advisor, Tomas Ortín, who extended a hand to me to start my doctorate. He helped me secure a scholarship, and from the very beginning, he has taken care of my training, sending me to different institutions and conferences. Without a doubt, I would say that the best thing is that he validates me not only as a physicist but also as a person.
I don’t think I have had one pivotal event or a single person to follow. I have been inspired by many different people at different times and in various situations. One thing I would like to highlight is the small number of women professors I have encountered. It might have been better, as a student, to have had more women professors during my degree. Role models who are similar to you, whether you are a man, a woman, or from any other group or minority, are important. It’s crucial to feel seen and represented in any field.
What kind of initiatives would have made it easier for you as a woman to become interested in physics and supported you through your physics degree?
For example, I would have loved to have had a talk like the one about this project when I was in high school. To be able to see, from a young age, that there are women who do science, and that this is not something exclusive to today. Rather, a century ago, women were already dedicated to science and had nothing to envy in the work of their male colleagues. They were resilient women who, against all odds, managed to make a place for themselves in the world of science. In general, society views science, especially mathematics and physics, as a field for men, but this is a lie, as knowledge has no gender. In the end, the majority of women end up studying social sciences or humanities. In my opinion, seeing yourself as a child reflected in a female physicist would help a lot in breaking this stigma. Even in my own family, they found it surprising that I chose this path. Why does it have to be strange for a girl to decide to study physics?
Also, as I mentioned before, there should be more female professors in science courses at the university, or an active effort should be made to ensure that talks and seminars are given by women. At my university, which was small, men always came to give us talks on different branches of physics, but never a woman. It was not until we, the female students, organized an event for Women’s Day and invited female scientists to participate that we saw a woman give a talk about her research. It is sad that people in the world of research do not stop to think about this.
Likewise, it would be beneficial to educate some of the men I have met about the idea that women are just as capable as they are. On some occasions, it is uncomfortable when they doubt your judgment, and sometimes it is clear that the only reason they have for doubting your knowledge is that you are a woman. Although we have made a lot of progress – this is obvious – we have not moved that far from the many experiences that I have read about Piedad and the rest of these women suffering in the early 20th century.
What advice would you give to young people, particularly women and minorities, who want to pursue a career in science?
Nourish yourself with talks given by people with whom you feel identified and reflected, as it helps absorb knowledge better, at least in my opinion and experience. For me, meeting other women, sharing experiences, and engaging in regular meetings with women in science has been immensely helpful. These meetings provide a space for mutual support, self-expression, and freedom of discussion. That comfort is palpable when you speak with someone you see yourself reflected in. It’s essential to create science with a human touch.
Similarly, your close environment is crucial. Surround yourself with friends and family who believe in you, support you, and motivate you to continue in your scientific career – people who do not judge you or doubt your capabilities because “science is not for girls.” I repeat, knowledge has no gender or race, and the people around you should want for you what you want for yourself.
Clearly, the most important thing is to ignore those who doubt your ability to do science or find it strange. Those people still live in another era and are not worth your concern. While focusing on your own goals might seem selfish, remember that men – especially white, heterosexual men – have always pursued and achieved their goals throughout history. They have always been the protagonists in everything… Why can’t we be now?
Read Carmen’s report on Piedad de la Cierva and the other historical Spanish women below here!
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