Today 28th June 1906, Maria Goeppert Mayer became the second woman to receive the Nobel Prize after Marie Curie.

Mayer’s academic journey began at the University of Göttingen, where she completed her graduate studies and wrote her doctoral thesis on the theory of two-photon absorption by atoms. Although the experimental verification of her thesis initially seemed improbable, the development of laser technology in the 1960s eventually allowed for its validation.

After marrying chemist Joseph Edward Mayer, Maria Goeppert Mayer moved to the United States, where her husband held a position at Johns Hopkins University. During her time there, she published a seminal paper on double beta decay, making significant contributions to the understanding of nuclear physics.

Mayer’s involvement in scientific research extended to critical projects during World War II. She worked on the Manhattan Project, focusing on isotope separation. Her most remarkable achievement was the development of a mathematical model that explained the stability of atomic nuclei based on the concept of nuclear shells. This groundbreaking work won her Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963. She shared with J. Hans D. Jensen and Eugene Wigner. She is the second woman to receive this prestigious honor after Marie Curie. Mayer’s legacy goes beyond her scientific achievements. As one of the few women in the male-dominated field of physics, she faced numerous challenges. Her determination and unwavering commitment to her research serve as an inspiration to aspiring scientists and emphasize the importance of gender equality in scientific pursuits.