September 26

Nehemiah Grew was born in 1641 and educated at Leiden and Oxford, earning his medical degree in 1671. Fascinated by the structure of plants, he employed early microscopes to study roots, stems, leaves, and pollen grains. In 1682, he published 'The Anatomy of Plants,' a landmark work that established plant histology as a scientific discipline. Grew introduced anatomical terms still in use today and compared plant tissues to animal structures. He presented his findings to the Royal Society and contributed papers on human anatomy and glandular systems. Grew's meticulous observations and detailed illustrations laid the groundwork for modern botany and physiology.

Cosme Argerich (1758–1820) was a leading physician in colonial and early independent Argentina. Appointed Surgeon General by the viceroy, he established the Protomedicato, a regulatory body for medical practices. During the British invasions of Buenos Aires, Argerich organized medical services for the wounded and improved surgical techniques. He championed the founding of Argentina’s first medical school and advocated for public health reforms. Revered as the 'Father of Argentine Medicine,' his work laid the foundation for modern medical education and practice in the nation.

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar (1820–1891) was a towering figure in Bengal’s Renaissance and a pioneering scholar of Sanskrit literature. As a professor at Fort William College, he produced critical editions of classical texts and translated Sanskrit works for wider audiences. Vidyasagar campaigned for widow remarriage and women’s education, successfully amending Hindu law. He founded Sanskrit College’s women’s section and established schools and libraries across Bengal. His scholarly rigor and humanitarian efforts advanced social reform and intellectual revival in colonial India.

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849–1936) was a renowned Russian physiologist and physician. He received the 1904 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his research on the digestive system. Pavlov is best known for his experiments on conditioned reflexes, demonstrating classical conditioning in dogs. His work laid the foundation for behaviorism in psychology and influenced fields from neuroscience to pedagogy. Pavlov founded the Institute of Experimental Medicine in St. Petersburg and mentored generations of scientists. His methodologies and theoretical contributions remain central to understanding learning and behavior.

Edith Abbott was born in 1876 in Grand Island, Nebraska, and became a leading figure in social science research. She earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago and taught at the Chicago School of Civics and Philanthropy. Abbott co-founded the first graduate school of social work in the United States and developed rigorous training standards for practitioners. She conducted groundbreaking studies on poverty, labor conditions, and child welfare, influencing New Deal social policies. Abbott also served as a dean and advocated for women’s rights and professionalization of social work. She authored several books and articles before retiring in 1955, leaving a lasting impact on social welfare and academia.

Ugo Cerletti was born in 1877 in Nerviano, Italy, and studied medicine at the University of Rome. He specialized in neurology and became a professor at the University of Sapienza. In 1938, alongside Lucio Bini, he pioneered electroconvulsive therapy as a treatment for severe psychiatric disorders. Cerletti’s research laid the foundation for modern biological psychiatry and influenced therapeutic practices worldwide. During World War II, he served as a military doctor, applying his methods to treat soldiers with trauma. After the war, he continued to teach and publish extensively on neurobiology and psychiatry. He died in 1963, remembered for his controversial yet transformative contributions to mental health care.

Bertha De Vriese was born in 1877 in Ghent, Belgium, and became one of the first female physicians in the country. She studied medicine at Ghent University, where her research focused on gynecology and pediatric care. De Vriese published several articles addressing women’s reproductive health and infant mortality. She also taught anatomy and physiology, breaking barriers for women in academia. Her advocacy for women’s access to medical education influenced policy reforms. During her career, she established clinics that provided affordable care to underserved populations. She passed away in 1958, remembered as a trailblazer in Belgian medicine and women’s rights in healthcare.

Archibald Vivian Hill was born on 26 September 1886 in Bristol, England. He studied medicine at Cambridge University and pioneered research on heat production in muscles. During World War I, Hill served in the Royal Army Medical Corps and advanced studies in muscle physiology. In 1922, he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries on muscular heat. Beyond science, he was active in politics as a Labour Party member and served in Parliament from 1945 to 1950. Hill held prestigious academic posts and mentored generations of physiologists. He passed away on 3 June 1977 in Cambridge, leaving a legacy of influential research and public service.

Sir Barnes Neville Wallis was born on 26 September 1887 in Ripley, Derbyshire, England. He trained as an aeronautical engineer and joined Vickers Armstrong at age 16. During World War II, Wallis invented the bouncing bomb used in the famous Dam Busters raid. He also developed geodetic aircraft structures and held more than 20 patents in aviation. Wallis was knighted in 1968 for his groundbreaking contributions to engineering. He died in 1979, remembered as one of Britain’s most inventive aerospace engineers.

Born in 1892 in Pittsburgh, Robert Staughton Lynd was a pioneering sociologist and professor at Columbia University. Together with his wife Helen, he conducted the seminal Middletown studies, a landmark examination of everyday life in Muncie, Indiana. Their work provided deep insights into American culture, social change, and class dynamics during the early 20th century. Lynd authored influential books such as Middletown: A Study in Contemporary American Culture and Knowledge for What? He served as president of the American Sociological Association and influenced generations of researchers. Lynd's interdisciplinary approach combined rigorous fieldwork with accessible writing, making sociology relevant to a broad audience.

Anthony Blunt was a distinguished professor of art history at the University of London. He served as Surveyor of the King's (and later Queen's) Pictures, overseeing the royal art collection. Unknown to his peers, he passed classified intelligence to the Soviet Union during World War II. He was a key member of the Cambridge Five spy ring that infiltrated British intelligence. His espionage activities went undetected until a public confession in 1979. Blunt was stripped of his knighthood and academic posts, leaving a controversial legacy.

Born in Switzerland in 1924, Jean Hoerni earned his PhD in physics before moving to the United States. He joined Fairchild Semiconductor as part of the 'traitorous eight' and invented the planar process, a key breakthrough in microchip fabrication. His planar method allowed integrated circuits to be manufactured reliably at scale and became the foundation of the modern semiconductor industry. In 1959, he co-founded Amelco (later Intersil), driving early commercial development of silicon devices. Hoerni later founded several other technology ventures and held numerous patents in semiconductor engineering. His innovations earned him recognition as one of the pioneers of Silicon Valley. He passed away in 1997, leaving a lasting impact on electronics and computing.