Astronomy at Vassar...     Another great female influence in Christine's life was that of Maria Mitchell, a professor of astronomy at Vassar. Ladd was just one of the many women that Mitchell devoted her time to in order to increase the participation of women in science. In Mitchell's eyes, a women must first gain confidence and expertise and then  become a part of the male-dominated professional circles. However, these traits were not easy for women to obtain because of society's spheres and so Maria Mitchell fought for this.  

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