Marie Curie

Marie Curie is a famous physicist and chemist who made significant strides in the fields of STEM. She was born in 1867 into a family of six in Poland. She received education in local schools and from her father. She received a physics and mathematical sciences degree at a college in Paris, Sorbonne. In 1894, she met Pierre Curie and got married. Later, she went back to school and got a Doctor of Science degree. Her husband, Pierre, died in 1906, leaving his position as the Professor of General Physics at Sorbonne University open, which Marie filled.

One of Marie Curie's most well-known accomplishments are the discovery of polonium, the 84th element on the periodic table, and radium, the 88th element on the periodic table. Marie Curie advocated for the use of radium in the medical field. She was the first female to win a Nobel Prize and she won several awards throughout her career. On July 4th, 1934, Marie Curie passed away from illness.