March 12

Born in Idvor, Serbia, in 1858, Pupin emigrated to the United States and studied at Columbia University, earning degrees in physics and mathematics. He pioneered the development of the 'Pupin coil,' a loading coil that extended the range of long-distance telephone communication. As a professor at Columbia, he mentored future generations of scientists and held leadership roles in scientific organizations. His autobiography won the Pulitzer Prize in 1924, and he was awarded the Edison Medal for his contributions to electrical engineering. Pupin also supported education and cultural institutions in both the U.S. and Serbia. He passed away in 1935, leaving a lasting legacy in both science and industry.

Born in 1862 in Adelaide, Australia, Bragg studied mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge, and later held professorships in physics and mathematics. Together with his son, Lawrence Bragg, he formulated Bragg's law, establishing the foundational principles of X-ray diffraction used to determine crystal structures. Their work earned them the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915. Bragg made significant contributions to both physics and chemistry, advancing the understanding of atomic structures. During World War I, he served as a scientific advisor on munitions. After the war, he continued research and teaching at the University of Leeds. Bragg passed away in 1942, celebrated for his groundbreaking achievements in science.

Born in 1879 in Heidelberg, Steinkopf studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg and later joined Badische Anilin- und Sodafabrik (BASF). During World War I, he led efforts to develop sulfur mustard gas for use as a chemical warfare agent, pioneering methods for large-scale synthesis. After the war, Steinkopf returned to civilian research, contributing to the development of synthetic dyes and pharmaceuticals. His work had a lasting impact on both industrial chemical processes and the ethical considerations of chemical weapons. Steinkopf passed away in 1949, leaving a complex legacy intertwined with both scientific progress and its wartime applications.

Born in 1870 in Berlin, Marianne Weber studied law and sociology, becoming one of Germany's first prominent female social scientists. She married sociologist Max Weber and collaborated on his work while forging her own intellectual path. Weber wrote extensively on the status of women, marriage, and family, advocating for legal reforms and educational opportunities. As a leading figure in the German women's movement, she served on the board of the German Society for Women's Suffrage and edited feminist publications. Her sociological research combined empirical analysis with a passionate call for gender equality. Weber died in 1954, remembered as a pioneer of sociology and feminist thought.

Eugene Lindsay Opie was a leading American physician whose work shaped the modern understanding of pancreatic diseases.\nHe is best known for identifying the islet cell lesions in the pancreas that bear his name (Opie bodies) in patients with diabetes.\nOpie's research in the early 20th century laid foundational insights into the mechanisms underlying diabetes mellitus.\nHe served as a professor at prestigious institutions including Johns Hopkins and Stanford Universities.\nThroughout his career, he published extensively on the pathology of infectious diseases and endocrine disorders.\nHis contributions remain influential in both clinical and research contexts within endocrinology and pathology.

Ragnar Granit was a pioneering neuroscientist who conducted foundational research on the physiology of the visual system.\nBorn in Finland and later naturalized in Sweden, he held professorships at the Rockefeller Institute and the Karolinska Institute.\nIn 1967, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries on how the retina processes light signals.\nHis work elucidated the mechanisms by which nerve cells respond to different wavelengths and intensities of light.\nGranit's research had profound implications for both neuroscience and our understanding of sensory perception.\nHe continued to publish influential studies well into his later years, leaving a lasting legacy in neurophysiology.

Born in 1916 in Amsterdam, Westhoff specialized in plant ecology and vegetation classification. He co-authored the Braun-Blanquet vegetation survey methods, which became a standard in ecology. Westhoff's research covered diverse ecosystems, from grasslands to wetlands, and he pioneered long-term ecological monitoring. He published numerous scientific papers and mentored generations of ecologists at the University of Utrecht. Westhoff was a founding member of several ecological societies and received international awards. His work contributed to conservation strategies and habitat restoration. Even after retirement, he remained active in botanical research and advisory roles. He died in 2001, remembered as a key figure in modern ecology.

Paul C. Donnelly (1923-2014) was an American engineer who played a key role in the Apollo program. As technical director for the Saturn V launch vehicle at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, he oversaw the development of critical propulsion and guidance systems. Trained in electrical engineering, he began his career in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps before joining NASA. His leadership and problem-solving skills helped achieve the first manned lunar landings. Donnelly received numerous awards for his contributions to human spaceflight and inspired future generations of aerospace engineers.

Lloyd Shapley was a leading figure in the development of game theory, introducing the concept of the Shapley value for distributing gains in cooperative games. He shared the 2012 Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences with Alvin E. Roth for the theory of stable allocations and market design. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1923, Shapley completed his doctoral studies at Princeton University under Albert W. Tucker. His career included key positions at RAND Corporation, UCLA, and other academic institutions. Shapley's research influenced economics, political science, and computer science, leaving a lasting legacy until his death in 2016.