I chose the topic of Rosalind Franklin and the double

helix for two reasons. The first reason is that I have always
loved science. When I initially learned about Rosalind
Franklin in seventh grade I was fascinated by the process of
the discovery of what we now know as DNA and wanted to
learn in a more in depth way about how it was discovered
and the people who discovered it. Second, I was horrified by
the injustice of how she was treated by her colleagues in the
field of science. So when I heard that the theme for NHD
was Explore, Encounter and Exchange I knew my subject
would be Rosalind Franklin.

I began by revisiting the sources I had been exposed to

in seventh and ninth grade. Specifically I re-watched the
Nova documentary that detailed Franklin's career in
crystallography and x-ray diffraction which led to her
famous Photo 51. Additionally, the Nova documentary, which
became one of my most integral sources, led me to some
crucial primary source interviews as well as a plethora of
secondary source background information. I then went and
read the two books mentioned in the Nova documentary
which where The Double Helix by James Watson, and The
Dark Lady of DNA by Brenda Maddox. After that I went and
searched for primary resources on the internet and came up
with sites such as Welcome Library and The Rosalind
Franklin Papers. I was also able to expand my knowledge on
Franklin after reading the annotated version of Watsons
book which helped to fill in the gaps.

I selected my presentation category because I have

always wanted to make a website and this was the perfect
opportunity. Using Weebly I took all the photos and quotes I
had found and put them into their own sections. I then made
the timeline with a useful tool called Timeline JS. I found a
couple of great sources that discussed the history of DNA

research and I compiled the most important sections into

my timeline.

My project, The Double Helix and The Double

Standard, very clearly connects with the theme of
Exploration, Encounter and Exchange. As a scientist,
Franklins life work was dedicated to exploring scientific
fields which would, in her words, contribute directly to the
improvement of mankind'". However, as a woman,
Franklin encountered fervent and unrelenting resistance
and outright sexism from her colleagues, eventually leading
her to abandon her research of DNA without ever knowing
that her work unlocked the door to the secret of life. As for
exchange, even though she was unaware of her
contribution, Franklins exchange of information through
her Photo 51 gave the world of science, and the world of
mankind, an unparalleled gift; the gift of forwarding the
field of genetics to increase human beings understanding of
themselves.

During this project I really enjoyed combining my love of

biology with creating a website to showcase not only the
struggles of Franklin, but the struggles of women
everywhere.