| By Gale Staff |
In 1867, Wladyslaw and Bronislawa Sklodowska welcomed their fifth child, a girl named Maria. Growing up in Poland, Maria was a motivated and curious student. However, despite excelling academically, she could not attend the all-male University of Warsaw.
In her early 20s, Maria left Poland to enroll at the prestigious Sorbonne in Paris. She had little money for food or living expenses, but eventually earned two separate graduate degrees—one in physics and another in mathematics. By 1895, Maria had changed her name to the French pronunciation, Marie, and married another accomplished scientist, Pierre Curie.
Marie Curie is, of course, one of the most famous scientists in history. Her discoveries of radium and polonium were crucial to advancing our understanding of radioactivity and cancer research treatments. Curie also developed a portable X-ray machine for ambulances that would prove vital during World War I.
Despite gender discrimination and little money, she fought for her education and the chance to advance scientific medicine. Curie’s determination has helped save countless lives worldwide, and she became the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize, which she tried to donate to the French war effort.
February is National Women Inventors Month, giving teachers and librarians an exciting chance to dive into the stories of Marie Curie and other incredible female innovators with help from the rich collections housed in Gale In Context: Biography.
Despite facing social bias and academic barriers, these women remained steadfast in their pursuit of knowledge. Gale In Context: Biography can help you share the inspirational details behind their accomplishments and highlight how their contributions changed history. Their stories are a testament to the power of perseverance and can inspire students of all ages and genders.
Grace Hopper
As her military rank suggests, Rear Admiral Grace Hopper was a force in the U.S. Navy. But she is also one of the most influential inventors of the 20th century. Born in 1906, Hopper loved mechanics and engineering. Her parents supported their daughter’s curiosity and allowed her to dismantle and reassemble household appliances.
In her early 20s, Hopper studied mathematics and physics at Vassar College. After graduating, she served as a faculty member while working toward her doctorate, which she earned in 1934 before turning 30.
During World War II, Hopper joined the U.S. Navy Reserves. Because of her impressive academic background, she was placed in the Bureau of Ships Computation Project at Harvard, working on the world’s first programmable digital computer. Despite lacking computer programming experience, Hopper persisted through the task, eventually generating a catalog of shortcuts and a computer manual for others to use and learn from her mistakes. Her affinity for critical thinking helped her overcome early software bugs and solidify her place as a pioneer in the field of coding.
In what would become a pinnacle achievement, Hopper helped spearhead and invent a more user-friendly, standardized programming language called COBOL (Common Business Oriented Language). The highly accessible COBOL welcomed a new generation into computer programming and permanently changed the modern world.
Alice H. Parker
Alice Parker was born in New Jersey in 1895. Unfortunately, little record of her personal life exists, but historians agree that she was a bright and motivated student. Parker attended the prestigious Howard University Academy, an historically black institution founded in 1867, graduating with honors.
Parker likely did not have access to a traditionally structured STEM-based professional path. However, she would nonetheless prove herself to be a natural engineer and inventor. In 1919, the United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded her Patent Number 1,325,905—a design for the first natural gas-based indoor heating system.
At the time, the United States primarily relied on coal or wood for home heating; Parker’s invention was safer and far more efficient. Her furnace even included multiple burners, allowing users to modify the temperature between rooms, an idea that would ultimately lead to the thermostat. Her ingenuity was essential to modern home heating advancements.
Sadly, there are few accurate accounts for Parker beyond her patent application, and her scientific career was no doubt stunted by sexist and racist attitudes. Thankfully, her genius has since been recognized by both the National Society of Black Physicists and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce. The latter made a concerte effort to piece together an authentic profile of her life, honoring Parker as a woman of innovation who helped improve life for residents of the state.
Hedy Lamarr
Born Hedwig Kiesler in Austria in 1913, the young Hedy Lamarr was destined for stardom. Educated, polished, and beautiful, she landed her first film roles while still a teenager. Her notoriety caught the attention of a wealthy Austrian arms dealer, whom Lamarr would briefly marry before fleeing him (and the country) in 1937. Determined and precocious, she was soon in London negotiating a contract with MGM Studios. Seemingly overnight, Lamarr became a Hollywood darling, dating movie stars and dominating the gossip columns.
Lamarr wasn’t just a Hollywood A-lister—she was scientifically brilliant. During World War II, the U.S. used radio-guided torpedoes to attack enemy ships. However, the weapons broadcast an electronic frequency that the Axis could easily intercept and scramble. Her conversations with her ex-husband, the arms dealer, gave her a practical understanding of weapons engineering, leading to a groundbreaking idea.
Lamarr helped devise a communication system using coordinated frequency hopping between the transmitter and receiver, which prevented sabotage and ensured the torpedoes hit their targets. Although the military initially rejected her idea and did not use the invention during World War II, this technology became the foundation for Wi-Fi and wireless communications like Bluetooth and GPS.
Frequency-hopping profoundly impacted modern technology, though her contributions were largely unnoticed for most of her life. However, in 1997, just three years before her death, Lamarr received the Electronic Frontier Foundation Pioneer Award. She was also prominently featured by Google on what would have been her 101st birthday.
Marie Van Brittan Brown
Marie Van Brittan Brown grew up in New York City in the early 20th century. She studiously pursued a career in nursing, a profession in which she was very successful. As a young nurse in the city, Brown often worked late shifts, as did her husband. She frequently found herself home alone late at night with little police presence in the neighborhood.
To feel safer, Brown invented the first home security system by designing a complex, motorized camera system for her front door. Using a wireless closed-circuit connection, the camera conveyed images from a series of peepholes to her television. Brown even integrated a two-way microphone and an alarm feature. In 1969, she received a patent for her enterprising invention and was even recognized by the National Scientists Committee.
Brown was a pioneer for the modern home security system. As recently as 2013, inventors have continued to reference her patent for their designs. Brown’s daughter, Norma, has since become an inventor in her own right, with nearly a dozen patents to her name.
Stephanie Kwolek
Stephanie Kwolek was born in 1923 in a small Pennsylvania town along the Allegheny River to hard-working Polish immigrant parents who were passionate about learning. Kwolek was a natural student and, as a teenager, decided to become a doctor.
Kwolek graduated from college with a degree in chemistry and quickly landed a research position with the chemical manufacturer DuPont. Although she initially took the job to save money for medical school, Kwolek thrived in her role. She experimented with new, inventive materials like fireproof fabrics, and combined different compounds to create stronger synthetic polymers.
As petroleum prices increased in the 1960s, Kwolek helped develop light but durable automobile part alternatives, thus saving on overall fuel use. Kwolek’s persistence in researching these different polymers led to her inventing Kevlar, a material with revolutionary strength and lightness. Kevlar vests, commonly known as bullet-proof vests, have since saved thousands of lives.
These personal and often relatable accounts nurture resilience and encourage students to persevere against life’s obstacles. They can provide a historical perspective and often teach readers about empathy, humility, and integrity—even when the odds are stacked against them. Plus, Gale’s customization features (including text-to-speech and extensive translation options) and user-friendly search tools make these vital stories more accessible to a broader audience.
If you would like to learn more about Gale in Context: Biography and other integrative Gale products, contact your local representative today to request a trial.