How an 18th-century physicist became the first woman to hold a university chair.

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Laura Bassi was a scientific pioneer who shattered gender barriers in academia long before they were officially dismantled. Recognized as the Bolognese Minerva, she became the first woman to earn a doctorate in science and the first salaried female university teacher, eventually securing a prestigious chair in experimental physics.

Born in 1711 in Bologna, Laura Bassi was educated privately, mastering languages, mathematics, and natural history before her academic debut. In 1732, at age 21, she publicly defended forty-nine theses, earning a doctorate in philosophy and securing an appointment at the University of Bologna. Although her initial teaching role was largely honorary and restricted by gender, she successfully navigated the rigid social structures of the Papal States with the consistent support of Prospero Lambertini, later Pope Benedict XIV.

Bassi’s influence grew significantly after her 1738 marriage to physician Giuseppe Veratti. Together, they established a private laboratory in their home, which became a hub for experimental research and a school for students across Europe. For 28 years, she championed Newtonian mechanics and explored topics ranging from fluid dynamics to electricity. Her reputation was such that she maintained correspondence with intellectual giants like Voltaire, who famously expressed a desire to join her academy over the Royal Society in London.

Her persistence in a male-dominated field was marked by constant negotiation. In 1745, she was inducted as the only female member of the Benedettini, a select group of 24 scholars, after successfully petitioning the Pope for a special 25th position. She fought for her right to vote within the academy and later sought equal teaching duties to her male colleagues. In 1776, just two years before her death, she finally achieved her goal of holding the Chair of Experimental Physics at the Institute of Sciences, cementing her legacy as a formidable force in Enlightenment science.

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