Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts

Karina Judd; Bridget Gaul; Anna Sophie Jürgens

doi:10.1007/978-3-031-81525-6

Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts

Karina Judd, Bridget Gaul, Anna Sophie Jürgens

Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

This book explores how women scientists are portrayed in hit American TV comedies The Big Bang Theory, Never Have I Ever, and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist using a science communication lens. The authors illuminate how comedy, especially irony and satire, communicate complex ideas about gender and science - both reflecting and challenging stereotypes about women in science. Perfect for fans of science, humor, media, and feminism, Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts highlights the roles science communication, humor and pop culture play in shaping our understanding of women in STEM.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture
Publisher	Palgrave Macmillan
Pages	1-101
Number of pages	101
ISBN (Print)	9783031815270
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-81525-6
Publication status	Published - 2025

Publication series

Name	Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture
Volume	Part F45
ISSN (Print)	2731-4359
ISSN (Electronic)	2731-4367

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-031-81525-6

Cite this

@inbook{8251dee5865146eab26f93a79187d244,

title = "Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts",

abstract = "This book explores how women scientists are portrayed in hit American TV comedies The Big Bang Theory, Never Have I Ever, and Zoey{\textquoteright}s Extraordinary Playlist using a science communication lens. The authors illuminate how comedy, especially irony and satire, communicate complex ideas about gender and science - both reflecting and challenging stereotypes about women in science. Perfect for fans of science, humor, media, and feminism, Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts highlights the roles science communication, humor and pop culture play in shaping our understanding of women in STEM.",

keywords = "American television comedy, feminist humor, Never Have I Ever, Science in popular culture, The Big Bang Theory, Women in STEM, Women scientist stereotypes, Women scientists, Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist",

author = "Karina Judd and Bridget Gaul and J{\"u}rgens, {Anna Sophie}",

note = "{\textcopyright} The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1007/978-3-031-81525-6",

language = "English",

isbn = "9783031815270",

series = "Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture",

publisher = "Palgrave Macmillan",

pages = "1--101",

booktitle = "Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture",

address = "United Kingdom",

}

Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts. / Judd, Karina; Gaul, Bridget; Jürgens, Anna Sophie.
Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, 2025. p. 1-101 (Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture; Vol. Part F45).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Women Scientists in American Television Comedy

T2 - Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts

AU - Judd, Karina

AU - Gaul, Bridget

AU - Jürgens, Anna Sophie

N1 - © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - This book explores how women scientists are portrayed in hit American TV comedies The Big Bang Theory, Never Have I Ever, and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist using a science communication lens. The authors illuminate how comedy, especially irony and satire, communicate complex ideas about gender and science - both reflecting and challenging stereotypes about women in science. Perfect for fans of science, humor, media, and feminism, Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts highlights the roles science communication, humor and pop culture play in shaping our understanding of women in STEM.

AB - This book explores how women scientists are portrayed in hit American TV comedies The Big Bang Theory, Never Have I Ever, and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist using a science communication lens. The authors illuminate how comedy, especially irony and satire, communicate complex ideas about gender and science - both reflecting and challenging stereotypes about women in science. Perfect for fans of science, humor, media, and feminism, Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts highlights the roles science communication, humor and pop culture play in shaping our understanding of women in STEM.

KW - American television comedy

KW - feminist humor

KW - Never Have I Ever

KW - Science in popular culture

KW - The Big Bang Theory

KW - Women in STEM

KW - Women scientist stereotypes

KW - Women scientists

KW - Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=86000594650&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/978-3-031-81525-6

DO - 10.1007/978-3-031-81525-6

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:86000594650

SN - 9783031815270

T3 - Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture

SP - 1

EP - 101

BT - Palgrave Studies in Science and Popular Culture

PB - Palgrave Macmillan

ER -

Women Scientists in American Television Comedy: Beakers, Big Bangs and Broken Hearts

Abstract

Publication series

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this