Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021
Women throughout history continue to make their mark creating innovations and discoveries that impact our lives today. To celebrate International Women’s Day 2021, Miranda Kent, Managing Associate at intellectual property firm, Mathys & Squire, reflects on inspiring female inventors in each decade since 1910 – when the firm was first founded – to demonstrate the significant value that realising new ideas and inventions can bring.
1910s
1914: Florence Parpart
Parpart invented and filed a patent for the first modern electric refrigerator, which she initially marketed and sold to companies in America. The refrigerator represented a revolution for conserving food and is today an integral appliance in any kitchen.
1920s
1921: Ida Hyde
Hyde created one of the earliest models of an intracellular micropipette electrode, which can be used to stimulate and monitor individual cells. This technology is still widely used in science laboratories today.
1930s
1935: Katharine Blodgett
An American physicist and chemist, Blodgett is known for her work on surface chemistry and invented a revolutionary ‘invisible’, or non-reflective, glass coating, which is used in making camera lenses, microscopes and eyeglasses.
1940s
1941: Hedy LaMarr
Although primarily an actress, during World War II, LaMarr created a frequency-hopping communication system, which could guide torpedoes without being detected. Her work paved the way for the introduction of WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth to the modern world.
1950s
1957: Gertrude Belle Elion
Elion helped to develop numerous life-saving drugs for the treatment of diseases such as malaria, herpes, cancer and AIDS. Along with George Herbert Hitchings, she invented the first immunosuppressive drug, Azathioprine which was initially used for chemotherapy patients, and eventually for organ transplants. She was awarded the 1988 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.
1960s
1965: Stephanie Kwolek
In 1965, Kwolek discovered that polyamide molecules can be manipulated at low temperatures to form incredibly strong and stiff materials, which is used to make Kevlar. Originally Kevlar was used to create lightweight, strong tyres for vehicles, but today is best known for body armour, such as bulletproof vests.
1970s
1971: Evelyn Berezin
An American computer designer, Berezin created the world’s first computerised word processor and founded her own company to bring her inventions to market. The first model was the size of a small refrigerator. She also developed computer-controlled systems for airline reservations.
1980s
1984: Rachel Zimmerman
At the age of just 12, Zimmerman invented a device called the ‘Blissymbol Printer’ that allowed people with speech disabilities to communicate non-verbally – using symbols on a touchpad translated to written language. Her invention has been recognised globally and she has received several awards for her achievements.
1990s
1991: Ann Tsukamoto
Tsukamoto is an inventor and stem cell researcher who made a significant breakthrough in cancer research. She co-patented a process for identifying and isolating human stem cells found in bone marrow, which is today used to treat blood cancer, saving hundreds of thousands of lives.
2000s
2009: Pratibha Gai
Gai created the in-situ atomic-resolution Environmental Transmission Electron Microscope (ETEM), which allows for visualisation of chemical reactions at the atomic scale. Her invention has been used worldwide by microscope manufacturers, chemical companies and researchers.
2010s
2012: Deepika Kurup
Kurup is a clean water advocate and as a teenager, after seeing children in India drinking dirty water, she invented a water purification system (photocatalytic composite material) that removes 100% of faecal coliform bacteria from contaminated water using solar energy.
2020s
2020: Sarah Gilbert & Catherine Green
Gilbert & Green are two of the leading scientists behind the Oxford/Astra Zeneca Coronavirus vaccine developed in record time amidst the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, saving lives and bringing hope to the entire world.
The inventors listed above are just a small selection of the vast number of women who have developed and, in some instances, patented innovative products that revolutionise the world we live in. At Mathys & Squire, we are privileged to work with innovators across a range of highly dynamic sectors and celebrate their significant technical contributions not just on International Women’s Day, but every day.
