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The STEP UP project (STEPUPphysics.org), based in the United States, includes physics teachers, researchers and professional societies who have collaborated to design high school physics lessons to empower teachers, create cultural change and inspire young women to pursue physics in college. Starting in 2017, the STEP UP project co-created and piloted a set of lessons that support cultural change in high school classrooms. Pilot and quasi-experimental studies on the lessons showed that the materials had a positive impact on students’ self-perception of themselves as a “physics person” and increased interest in pursuing a physics degree in college. As of June 2021, around 1,600 teachers have signed on to the project, along with 1,900 other supporters (physics faculty, undergraduate students, and other community members). International expansions in 2020 and 2021 have brought STEP UP adaptations to Brazil and Canada and recruited teachers from more than 30 countries to the community. 

The past few years have brought a reckoning to the United States, as awareness of our country’s injustices dramatically increased, elevating international movements for equity. Although the road to equity remains long, the United States delegation was inspired to highlight a few women's stories showcasing their success in physics as well as their struggles. We aim to elevate their accomplishments, knowing we cannot possibly highlight all the amazing stories, to further validate and support women’s importance in physics. Physicists are presented in three main categories: (1) Legacy: Women in physics who have made their mark (no longer active, retired, or deceased); (2) Active: Women who are making their mark now (already established in the field, mid-career to senior); and (3) Emerging: Women who are primed to make their mark in the future (current students and postdocs or early career).