WORLD OF SCIENCE
Grit and determination
DR. T. V. PADMA
|
Sophie was conferred an honorary degree posthumously.
|
Sophie's early work was on number theory — a branch of pure mathematics. One of the number theory problems that intrigued her was Fermat's Last Theorem. Sophie also worked on the vibrations of elastic surfaces. In 1811, Academy of Sciences announced that it would award a prize to the person who provided a mathematical explanation of Ernst Chladni's experiment on the vibrations of elastic surfaces. After five years, she submitted an anonymous report. The work was rejected, and severely criticised. Two years later, the Academy held a second competition on the same subject. Sophie got an honourable mention this time. A decade later, she submitted a third report. By this time, she was confident enough to submit it under her own name. The French Academy of Science awarded Sophie a prize for her outstanding work on the vibrations of elastic surfaces. In 1821, Sophie's paper was published. It was described as a work, which only a few men were qualified to read, and only one woman was able to write.
Success, at last
She was invited to attend sessions at the French Academy of Science, a great honour France ever bestowed. Gauss campaigned with the faculty at the University of Goettingen to award her an honorary doctoral degree.
At the height of her success, Germain developed breast cancer. She was just 52. Sophie died before receiving the honorary degree that Gauss finally convinced the faculty to award. It was conferred posthumously. There was a custom in France that when a man died, his accomplishments were mentioned on his death certificate. Although Sophie had accomplished so much, her death certificate did not mention it.
In 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was erected in Paris, the cornerstone was engraved with the names of those whose work had been essential to the construction. Without Sophie's discovery about the elasticity of vibrating surfaces, engineers would have been unable to construct the tower. But her name was not included.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Young World
