Writing a speech on Lise Meitner

by wtfgiraffe18

My speech has to be roughly 5 minutes long so I can't give like her entire life story but I want to be able to give enough information for people (most of which know nothing about physics) to be able to empathize with her and understand why she's worth commemorating. Any Suggestions?

dogedance

Last time I checked "Lisa Meitner: A Life in Physics" is still the best biography on Meitner. Naturally though the fact that she (together with Frisch) worked out a successful theory for nuclear fission to explain Hahn's experimental results is her major scientific accomplishment. That she did not receive a Nobel prize alongside Hahn seems ridiculous when judged solely on her scientific contributions. I will note though that her being snubbed for a Nobel probably shouldn't be attributed entirely to sexism, the committee's well documented preference for experimental contributions over theoretical likely played a part as well.