Background
She was born in 1711 in Bologna into the wealthy family. Her father, who was from Modena, was a lawyer of non-noble origins.
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She was born in 1711 in Bologna into the wealthy family. Her father, who was from Modena, was a lawyer of non-noble origins.
Bassi showed an intellectual prowess early in her life. She was privately educated, beginning at the age of 13 and continuing for seven years, by Gaetano Tacconi.
Her cousin, Father Lorenzo Stegani tutored her in Latin, French and arithmetic.
At the age of 20, she publicly defended her thesis in the Palazzo Pubblico, thus beginning her academic career.
Although several Italian universities had employed female faculty members dating back to the thirteenth century, none had yet taught physics. When Bassi was hired by the University of Bologna, her salary was 500 lire annually.
She gave her first lecture in October 1732.
It was later published.
There was some critical debate over Bassi's true status at the university.
Others claimed that she had a full lecture load and attracted a diverse group of European students and scientists.
Although she had continued to work with her childhood tutor Tacconi, they parted company when he would not allow her be more intellectually independent.
Instead, she spent three years learning higher mathematics from Gabriele Manfredi.
As early as 1738 (or as late as 1750, depending on the source), Bassi began teaching and carrying out experiments in her home.
She may have begun with mathematics, but soon began to lecture in physics.
The arrangement was beneficial in a number of ways.
She could teach whatever she wanted in the manner she so chose without the university's interference.
Bassi's teaching also gave her funds to buy the equipment necessary for these experiments.
Because of her reputation, Bassi's students expanded from younger students to different kinds of scholars of all ages.
Bassi's salary at the University of Bologna also increased because of her home lectures, in recognition of her work. Though she conducted much of her work at home, Bassi's reputation was firmly entrenched throughout Europe.
She corresponded with the leading figures of the day, including French philosopher/author, Voltaire.
In 1744-45, she helped him become a member the Bologna Academy of Science.
Though it was unclear how much Bassi taught formally at the University of Bologna, she was considered a member of the staff throughout her life.
Bassi added an additional teaching position to her schedule in 1766.
The Collegio was not a traditional learning institution like the University of Bologna.
Its students, primarily those from the March Province, were taught in professors' homes.
By the time of her death, she had presented a total of 31 papers.
Though many of these papers were unpublished and the topics lost to time, several have remained.
Some scholars claimed that Bassi did not publish many articles or do much original research.
Others believed her total output was comparable to other scientists in her time period and circumstances.
On the Bubbles Observed in Free Flowing Liquids was presented in 1747.
A year later, Bassi submitted De immixito fluidis aere (On Bubbles of Air that Escape from Fluids.
This paper studied different kinds of liquids and examined the causes of bubble formation when they were housed in certain kinds of glass containers. In 1757, the Academy published two of Bassi's dissertations in Latin.
They were De problemate quodam mechanico (a study of a certain kind of trajectory motion of two bodies on a curve) and De problemate quodam hydrometrico (alternate solutions to a complex hydrometrical problem).
In the 1760, Bassi's research focused primarily on electricity and related phenomenon.
As early as 1746, she and her husband purchased an electrical machine to use in experiments.
Bassi also conceived her own devices for electricity experiments.
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In 1732 she became a member of the Bologna Academy of Science.
Bassi was given membership in a newly formed scientific academy in 1745.
She had to lobby for admittance to the Benedettina Academy, an elite group of 24 within the greater academy.
Bassi became an additional twenty-fifth member.
Membership in this group was important to Bassi for a number of reasons: it added to her yearly income; it gave her another means of collaboration; and it gave her a place to present her work, since members were required to give an annual presentation. Bassi began presenting annual papers to the Academy beginning in 1746.
Quotes from others about the person
Alberto Elena wrote in Isis, "she was a figure of the greatest importance in the intellectually flourishing Bologna of the eighteenth century. "
As Gabriella Berti Logan wrote in American Historical Review, "What made Bassi unique was that she made use of rewards, that would normally have remained symbolic, to carve out a position for herself in the scientific community of her town and to contribute to its intellectual life through her research and teaching. "
On February 7, 1738, she married Giuseppe Veratti, a doctor of philosophy and medicine, and a fellow lecturer in physics at the University of Bologna. Most believed that they had eight children, based on local baptismal records.
Three died in infancy, two girls named Caterina and one son named Flaminio.