Marie Curie
The governess who became the first person to win Nobel Prizes in two sciences.
Where it began
Born Maria Skłodowska in Warsaw in 1867, at a time when women could not attend university there.
The challenge
She worked as a governess to help fund her sister's studies, while studying in secret and saving for her own education.
The turning point
In 1891 she moved to Paris and enrolled at the Sorbonne, often studying late into the night with very little money.
The journey
With Pierre Curie she researched radioactivity, a term she helped popularise, and discovered polonium and radium.
The impact
She won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903 and in Chemistry in 1911, the first woman to win a Nobel and the only person to win in two different sciences.
What we can learn
- Support others and let them support you.
- Be patient with slow, careful work.
- Don't let barriers decide your future.
Tell the story
Speaking challenge
Retell Marie Curie’s story in 1 minute: where they began, the challenge, the turning point, and one lesson for you.
Say it out loud. Nobody is listening — that’s the point. Mistakes are allowed.
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