The aim of this paper is to show the diversity of the phonetic sciences over a period of 100 years: from about 1920 to 2020, reflected by the history of the International Congress of the Phonetic Sciences (ICPhS). This historical timeline is represented by the activities of the three famous female scholars Louise Kaiser, Ilse Lehiste and Anne Cutler. All three can be regarded as representatives for the diversity in research topics and investigated languages and as role models for gender, supporters of young talents and serving the scientific community of phonetic sciences.