German-American physicist Maria Goeppert Mayer (1906–1972) was a pioneering figure in nuclear physics and the second woman to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics, after Marie Curie. Born on June 28, 1906, in Kattowitz, Germany (now Katowice, Poland), she was the only child of Friedrich Goeppert and Maria Wolff. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Göttingen in 1930, writing her thesis on the theory of possible two-photon absorption by atoms.
In 1930, she married chemist Joseph Edward Mayer and moved to the United States, where he held academic positions at institutions such as Johns Hopkins University and later the University of Chicago. Due to nepotism rules, she often worked without pay or held unpaid positions, including at Johns Hopkins and Columbia University.
During World War II, Goeppert Mayer contributed to the Manhattan Project, working on isotope separation at Columbia University and collaborating with Edward Teller at Los Alamos on thermonuclear weapons development.
She is best known for developing the nuclear shell model, a theoretical framework that describes the structure of atomic nuclei in terms of energy levels, or “shells,” occupied by protons and neutrons. This model explained why certain numbers of nucleons, known as “magic numbers,” confer extra stability to nuclei. Her work, conducted independently and in parallel with German physicist J. Hans D. Jensen, was initially met with skepticism but later confirmed experimentally, significantly advancing the understanding of nuclear structure.
In recognition of her contributions, Goeppert Mayer shared the 1963 Nobel Prize in Physics with J. Hans D. Jensen and Eugene Wigner. She was appointed a full professor at the University of California, San Diego, in 1960, where she continued her research until her death on February 20, 1972, in San Diego, California.
Goeppert Mayer’s perseverance in the face of systemic barriers and her groundbreaking work have left a lasting impact on nuclear physics, influencing fields ranging from astrophysics to nuclear engineering. Her legacy continues to inspire, exemplifying dedication to scientific inquiry despite societal challenges.