Rosalind Franklin was born in London, England in the year of 1920. She attended one of the few girl schools in London that taught physics and chemistry. When Rosalind was 15, she made up her mind that she wanted to be a scientist, but her father wasn't all for it. He wanted her to be a social worker, but Rosalind was bold enough to go against her father. She ended up earning her doctorate in physical chemistry at Cambridge University in 1945. After receiving her doctorate she spent three years at a laboratory and eventually crossed paths with Maurice Wilkins. Both her and Wilkins were working on DNA, but Wilkins didn't understand Rosalind's role, because usually only the men were allowed into universities and dining areas at this time,so why would this woman even care? Rosalind Franklin was very persistant and didn't care about what other men thought of her. She took incredible x-ray photographs of DNA, and she was very close to figuring out the structure of the DNA as well.
Although, Wilkins showed Watson and Crick one of Rosalind's photographs without her knowing, which led to Watson and Crick figuring out the structure. As soon as the structure of DNA, the double helix, came about, it was immediately thrown into an article, and Franklin's photograph showed as a supporting issue.
So, the question is, did Rosalind gain enough credit for taking this incredible picture? In my opinion, I don't think she did. Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received a Nobel Prize Award for this accomplishment, but Rosalind Franklin had already died of cancer. I don't think the men expected anything out of her, because she was a woman, and they didn't want to be showed up by a girl. Although, Rosalind Franklin was a very, very smart woman and I think that she should have been given more credit for her great accomplishments.
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