The Ignored Woman Behind the Theory of Relativity: A Tribute on International Women's Day

Einstein Family Correspondence, including Albert Einstein-Mileva Marie love letters, surround a portrait of the couple, before going under the hammer at Christie's in New York on November 25, 1996. David Cheskin

Today on International Women's Day, we celebrate the countless women who have made significant contributions to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Unfortunately, many of these women have been overlooked or ignored by history, and their accomplishments have gone unrecognized. One of these women is Mileva Marić Einstein, the forgotten first wife of the renowned physicist Albert Einstein.

Mileva Marić Einstein was an accomplished physicist and mathematician in her own right. She attended the prestigious Polytechnic School in Zurich, Switzerland, where she met Albert Einstein. Together, they collaborated on scientific work, including the theory of relativity. However, despite her contributions to their work, Mileva was not credited as a co-author on their papers. There are a few theories as to why, including the suggestion that a publication co-signed with a woman might have carried less weight due to prevalent bias against women (Krstić, 2008; Milentijević, V. 2015).

Regardless of the reason, it is clear that Mileva's contributions to science have been unjustly overlooked. We must remember that she was a brilliant physicist and mathematician in her own right and that her work deserves recognition.

On this International Women's Day, we also celebrate women like Danielle McLean, founder of HYSKY Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting hydrogen aviation. Danielle is a shining example of a woman making a difference in STEM. Through her work, she is not only making aviation cleaner and more sustainable but also breaking down barriers and inspiring the next generation of female scientists and engineers.

Drea Hickman is another woman making a difference in STEM. As a member of HYSKY Society, Drea has worked to raise awareness about the potential of hydrogen aviation and to encourage more women to pursue careers in STEM. Her dedication and hard work are an inspiration to us all.

As we celebrate International Women's Day, let us remember the countless women like Mileva Marić Einstein, Danielle McLean, and Drea Hickman who have made significant contributions to STEM. Let us continue to strive for gender equality and recognition of women's accomplishments in all fields, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

References:

Krstić, B. (2008). Mileva Marić Einstein: Life with Albert Einstein. Serbian Studies: Journal of the North American Society for Serbian Studies, 22(1), 59-76.

Milentijević, V. (2015). The Tragic Fate of Mileva Marić Einstein. Serbian Studies: Journal of the North American Society for Serbian Studies, 29(2), 187-196.

Author:

Rishav Shrestha

Head of Operations

HYSKY Society