Marie Curie was an incredibly intelligent woman who broke barriers by expanding the field of physics and chemistry, along with influencing countless other individuals to follow in her footsteps. Her work led to her being awarded two nobel prizes, a testament to her incredible effort and the importance of her discoveries. When she was a young student she worked with other important early physicists and eventually became more and more educated. Her knowledge has left a lasting impression not only in physics, but also for young, female future scientists even today.
She teamed up with Pierre Curie, who eventually became her husband, and they both worked very well together. She did lots of work with certain elements and their physical properties. As she continued her research with not only Pierre Curie but other physicists, she eventually got her doctorate in sciences. In the same year, the Curies and another colleague, Henri Becquerel, won a Nobel Prize for the discovery of radioactivity. Her husband sadly passed away, but it allowed her to become a professor, filling his spot and becoming the first woman to teach at Sorbonne University in France. She continued to research many elements and their physical nature, and was awarded another Nobel Prize for Chemistry for discovering two new elements, radium and polonium. She was the first woman to win two Nobel Prizes in different fields.
Through her own drive and collaboration, she was able to make large advances in science as well as paving the way for many young scientists. Her ability to work with other people and discover very influential aspects of the physical world really showcases her creativity and intelligence. Similarly to Curie, Jennifer Doudna in Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race, by Walter Isaacson, worked collaboratively with her partner Emmanuelle Charpentier. Doudna and her made a huge breakthrough in biology, just as Curie did in physics and chemistry. Both of them utilized the collaborative aspect of research for the betterment and explanation of knowledge. Curie paved the way for other women like Doudna to have the respect and recognition that all women deserve. Both of them showcase the incredible intelligence women have, and also the strength of collaboration.
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Marie-Curie/Death-of-Pierre-and-second-Nobel-Prize
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1903/marie-curie/biographical/
Thank you for going into further detail about Curie's life! I only knew the surface level details about her winning a Nobel Prize. I do have questions specifically about her ability to work well with others. Do you think Curie at times had to overcompensate being a "team player" given that her field was male-dominated? And if yes, did she ever talk about her experiences of having to alter her personality to be more "likeable" to her male peers in order to work with them?
ReplyDeleteI knew a little bit about Marie Curie before reading your blog post, but I feel like I learned so much more! I didn't know she discovered radium and polonium and I knew she earned a Nobel Prize, but I didn't know she won two. She is such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteHi Ashley!
ReplyDeleteMarie Curie Sklodowska is such a great role model for young women and future female scientists. Her research in radioactivity has left a lasting impact on science today. As she is the first woman to win a Nobel prize, and still the only person to have a Nobel prize in both physics and chemistry, her accomplishments are historic and incredibly impressive. She has paved the way for many scientists and continues to inspire many generations of women. Thanks for sharing so much about Marie Curie and her accomplishments!