“It’s the things that are supposed to be impossible that interest me. I like to do things they say are impossible to do”. Maria Telkes, 1942
Maria Telkes was born on December 12, 1900, in Budapest, Hungary. Passionate about science, she studied physical chemistry and obtained a doctorate in 1924. She then left Europe for the USA with her degree in hand.
Maria started her professional career working as a biophysicist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio. However, she always had a strong interest in “solar energy. She therefore joined the Solar Energy Conversion Project led by” M.I.T in 1939. Subsequently, she was employed by the Office of Scientific Research and Development. There, she developed one of her most important inventions: a solar still capable of converting seawater into drinking water. In the context of war (World War II), this invention proved very useful for the American army.
Between 1947 and 1948, Maria collaborated with architect Eleanor Raymond on her most famous invention: The Dover Sun House. This was the first house entirely heated by solar energy. Although it was not the first solar house, the uniqueness of Maria and Eleanor’s house was that it could function even in the absence of sunlight. Indeed, the device was capable, thanks to Glauber’s salt (sodium sulfate), of storing heat, which would then be used when it was colder.
Nicknamed The Sun Queen (la reine Soleil) by Americans, Maria Telkes is also known for other inventions such as the first thermoelectric generator (1947) and the first thermoelectric refrigerator (1953). In 1952, she received the first achievement award from the Society of Women Engineers, in recognition of her work. She also received an award for her contribution to solar energy research in 1977. Settled in Texas from 1970, she is considered a reference and a pioneer in the field of solar thermal energy. In 1980, she participated in the creation of the first solar electric residence with the United States government.
References:
https://sciencesenbref.com/2021/12/09/en-1947-maria-telkes-cree-le-systeme-de-chauffage-solaire-residentiel/https://decadree.com/2017/01/29/maria-telkes-la-reine-du-soleil/
Written by Lobelie N.
