Some of her forerunners are
-Jantina Tammes (1871-1947). She was a Dutch biologist and geneticist, and the first genetics professor in the Netherlands.
-Rebecca Craighill Lancefield (1895 - 1981), who was a prominent and renowned American microbiologist. She entered the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in New York in 1918. Her works include more than 50 publications in 60 years.
-Rachel Louise Carson (1907 - 1964) was an American marine biologist and conservationist who contributed to launch modern environmental awareness through the publication of Silent Spring in 1962 and other writings.
Among other contemporary women we can point out
-Dominique G. Homberger (1948- ), an American zoologist known for her work on the evolution of complex structures on birds and mammals, and author of a text on dissection of vertebrates.
-Alison Jolly (1937−2014), a primatologist known for her studies on the biology of lemurs and for her educational and outreach work on these primates. She was the author of several books for both scientists and the general public and conducted a large amount of fieldwork
-Martha M. Robbins (1967- ). American primatologist, expert on zoology, ecology, and biologic anthropology. Her studies have been focused on social behaviour, reproduction strategies, population dynamics, endocrinology, and gorilla genetics. She worked for preserving these big primates in danger of extinction.
-María de los Ángeles Alvariño González (1916-2005). Spanish oceanographer, zoologist, and professor.
Among the people with Asperger's syndrome recognised at the time, the following stand out:
-Lisa Marie Nowak (1963- ). Engineer and former astronaut for NASA. She took part as a crew member in the Discovery space shuttle mission, STS-121 flight.
-Susanna Tamaro ( 1957- ). Italian novelist who has worked as scientific documentary maker and as assistant film director.
-Susan Magdalane Boyle (1961- ). Scottish singer who was put in the spotlight in 2009, when she appeared as a contestant in the third season of the British TV programme Britain's Got Talent. Boyle became famous almost immediately, when she sang I Dreamed a Dream from the musical Les Misérables.