It played an important role for women scientists for some fifty years when they were not allowed membership in most mainstream scientific organizations.

Sigma Delta Epsilon was established at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by Adele Lewis Grant on May 24, 1921.

[2] In 1922, a similar local group for women at the University of Wisconsin–Madison agreed to merge with Sigma Delta Epsilon, establishing a national fraternity.

[1][5] In this era when mainstream scientific organizations did not give women full membership, Sigma Delta Epsilon "filled an important niche", according to Margaret Rossiter.

[6] Hazel Fox was the only woman on the AAAS Council at the time, as a representative of Sigma Delta Epsilon.

[4] By the early 1970s, the fraternity was struggling from an increasing anti-fraternity sentiment on college campuses and competition from previously male-only organizations.

[6] Hoping to counter this, the fraternity changed its name to Sigma Delta Epsilon Graduate Women in Science in December 1971.

[16] Membership in the Graduate Women in Science is open to anyone who has at least a bachelor's degree in a scientific discipline and engineering, or equivalent professional experience.