September 20

Born in 1614, Martini joined the Jesuit mission in China and mastered Chinese language and culture. He created one of the first accurate European maps of China, the Novus Atlas Sinensis. His landmark history of the Manchu conquest informed Europe about Chinese civilization. Martini's correspondences with European scholars shaped Western perceptions of Asia. He documented local customs, geography, and political events in meticulous detail. His scholarship bridged East and West during the 17th century. Martino Martini's works remain key sources for the history of early modern Sino-European exchanges.

James Dewar is celebrated for his invention of the vacuum flask, now known as the Dewar flask or Thermos. He served as Professor of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge, conducting groundbreaking studies in cryogenics. Dewar was a key figure in liquefying gases, successfully isolating liquid hydrogen in 1898. His research into gas densities and atomic weights advanced the understanding of atomic theory. Though overlooked for the Nobel Prize, his contributions remain fundamental to modern chemistry and physics. He left a lasting impact on experimental techniques in low-temperature science until his death in 1923.

Susanna Rubinstein was among the first women in Austria to earn a doctorate in psychology. She studied the physiological and experimental aspects of perception and memory at the University of Vienna. Her early research explored sensory thresholds and psychological measurement techniques. Rubinstein published articles on the nature of visual and auditory sensations, contributing to the nascent field of empirical psychology. She taught and mentored students at Viennese institutions, advocating for the scientific study of the mind. Her work laid important groundwork for subsequent developments in experimental and clinical psychology.

Herbert Putnam was appointed Librarian of Congress in 1899 and served until 1939, the longest tenure in the position's history. He reorganized the Library of Congress, expanding its collections and professionalizing cataloging and classification systems. Under his leadership, the library introduced the Library of Congress Classification, which remains a standard today. Putnam negotiated the purchase of major European collections, broadening access to international scholarship. He promoted public education and outreach, opening the library's doors to scholars and the general public alike. His vision turned the Library of Congress into a world-class research institution before his death in 1955.

Born in 1876, Carleton Ellis was a groundbreaking chemist whose innovations shaped the early plastics industry. Holding numerous patents, he developed synthetic lacquers and materials that revolutionized manufacturing processes. His work in polymer chemistry laid the foundation for modern plastics and coatings. A prolific inventor, Ellis collaborated with major industrial firms to commercialize his discoveries. His legacy endures in the ubiquitous use of synthetic polymers in everyday life.

Vera Faddeeva was a Soviet mathematician who made foundational contributions to numerical analysis. She co-authored influential texts on solving systems of linear equations and matrix computations. Faddeeva's research addressed the stability and efficiency of algorithms, impacting early computer science. She worked at key Soviet research institutes, collaborating on projects that advanced scientific computing. Faddeeva also mentored a generation of mathematicians, promoting rigorous standards in numerical methods. Her work laid the groundwork for modern computational mathematics.

Dorothy Vaughan started her career as a human computer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in the 1940s. She became the first African-American supervisor at the agency, leading the West Area Computing unit. Vaughan taught herself FORTRAN programming and guided her team through the transition to electronic computers. Her calculations were vital to aeronautical research and early space missions. Vaughan championed equal opportunities for women and people of color within the agency. Her story gained wider recognition as part of efforts to highlight overlooked contributions in science and technology.

Sidney Dillon Ripley was a leading ornithologist who conducted groundbreaking research on Asian bird species. He served as the 8th Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution from 1964 to 1984, modernizing its museums and research programs. Ripley was instrumental in launching conservation initiatives such as Project Tiger in India to protect endangered wildlife. He published over 300 scientific papers and several books on ornithology and natural history. A passionate advocate for biodiversity, he helped shape global conservation policies and institutions.

Olga Dahl dedicated her career to tracing the lineages of Swedish families and preserving archival records. She authored several important genealogical handbooks that are still referenced by researchers today. Dahl organized community workshops and lectures to promote interest in family history across Sweden. Her meticulous documentation helped uncover links between Scandinavian and broader European nobility. She is remembered for building one of the most comprehensive private genealogical collections in her country.

Richard Montague was an American logician, mathematician, and philosopher best known for Montague grammar. He developed a formal approach to natural language semantics, bridging linguistics and mathematical logic. Montague’s work laid the foundations for modern theories of syntax and semantics in linguistics. He held academic positions at UCLA and made significant contributions to set theory and model theory. Despite his tragically short career, his ideas influenced fields from computer science to philosophy. Colleagues praised his clarity of thought and interdisciplinary vision. Montague’s legacy endures in computational linguistics and formal language theory.

Jennifer Tour Chayes holds appointments at Microsoft Research and the University of California, Berkeley, where she studies the mathematics of networked systems. Her work has provided fundamental insights into phase transitions in large-scale networks and dynamic algorithms for real-time analysis. As a managing director at Microsoft Research New England, she led projects on algorithmic game theory and statistical network modeling. Chayes has authored numerous influential papers and co-founded the field of algorithmic network theory. A passionate educator and mentor, she advocates for diversity in STEM and serves on several academic and advisory boards.

Jim Al-Khalili holds a PhD in nuclear physics and is a professor at the University of Surrey, where he leads research in theoretical physics. He has published numerous peer-reviewed papers and authored popular science books such as Quantum and Paradox that demystify complex scientific ideas. Al-Khalili is a familiar voice and face on radio and television, presenting programs that bring physics and biology to a broad public audience. He founded the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and has served as the director of the university’s Centre for the Public Awareness of Science. A Fellow of the Royal Society, he has received awards like the Royal Society Michael Faraday Prize for his outstanding contributions to science communication. His work continues to bridge the gap between academic research and public understanding.