Celebrating International Women's Day

Since 1911, the world has honored women on International Women’s Day each year on March 8. In March 1987, Congress declared the month to be one of celebration and honor for women who have impacted our world and made it a better place. This year, we ask that you take time to reflect and identify ways we can continue to move forward into a more gender-equal world. This year, we challenge you to honor women who have impacted you and share your story using tags such as #choosetochallenge and #IWD2021.

To stir something within you, we have a few women who have inspired us. While they are not limited to the women listed here, it's apparent that women are making their way into all walks of life and changing the trajectory of tomorrow.

Marie Curie

With a dream in her heart, Marie Curie attended underground classes to receive training in science. Later, she would transfer to the Sorbonne, in Paris, and obtain her Master’s Degree in Physics. She would go on to complete yet another degree in Mathematics a year later.

Alongside her husband, Ms. Curie discovered two elements, polonium and radium. She also was first to coin the phrase “radioactivity”. She didn’t stop there, she is the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, and is also the only female as of today to have been awarded two Nobel Prizes in two different areas, Physics and Chemistry.

Outside her career, Marie and her husband Pierre raised two children and even in his absence, she continued her research and devoted her time during World War I to support the cause.

Özlem Türeci

In more recent times, the name Özlem Türeci should inspire those around you to stop and take pause. As a physician, scientist and now entrepreneur, she and her team at BioNTech discovered the first RNA-based vaccine against our current health crisis, Covid-19.

As an Immunologist, Türeci specialized in cancer research and immunotherapy. She went on to focus her studies on cancer before founding BioNTech and serve as the Chief Medical Officer. Today, her company works to develop immunotherapies that support the individual.

Mae Jemison

As the first black female to travel into space, Mae Jemison made her mark in and out of NASA as an engineer and Physician. Jemison attended Medical School at Columbia University and worked for the Peace Corps as a Physician in both Liberia and Sierra Leone. When she returned to the US, Jemison began work at NASA and was the first black female in space aboard the Endeavour as a Mission Specialist.

After her tenure with Nasa, Jemison went on to become an entrepreneur founding a technology research company, actor, writer and choreographer at her dance studio where she focused on Jazz and African Dance. Currently, she serves on various boards and is a public speaker who speaks to science and technology. Ms. Jemison has numerous accolades including being an inductee in the National Space Hall of Fame.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we look forward to focusing on the talents that women of all walks of life have brought to the table to push our society to be an ever-evolving community that supports equality and growth for all.