Irene Joliot-Curie – Biography, Facts

There are people in the history of mankind who come for a short time, but the impact of their work and thoughts stays forever. Irene Joliot-Curie belongs to that rare category. She is notable in many ways as a chemist, physicist, Nobel laureates, a frontline nurse in World War I, a socialist politician, and an ambassador of the peace movement. Irene won the Nobel prize with her husband Frederic Joliot in 1935 for discovering artificial radioactivity in chemistry. Her active participation in various sectors made her one of the greatest feminist icons of all time. This essay briefly discusses Irene Joliot-Curie biography, facts about her life, and accomplishments she made in varied fields. 

Irene Joliot-Curie Biography 

Irene Joliot-Curie was the first child of famed French physicist duo Pierre Curie and Marie Curie. She was born in Paris on 12 September 1897. Being born into a dedicated and active family of physicists’ parents, she witnessed many experiments on radioactive substances from a very early age. The Curie couple noticed her interest and geniuses in mathematics but couldn’t find a suitable syllabus in Paris schools for her standard. This pushed Marie Curie to join ‘The Cooperative’, an informal group created by prominent French academics and scientists to teach each other’s children at a higher level in varied subjects from philosophy and languages to natural sciences to sculpture in a rigorous programme. In 1906 Irene lost her father, Pierre Curie, in a street accident in Paris. 

Academics and Irene Joliot-Curie Accomplishments

Irene Joliot-Curie accomplishments are varied in different fields and roles. Irene studied for her baccalauréat at the Collège Sévigné from 1912 to 1914. After that, she joined as an assistant to her mother, Marie Curie, at the Institut du Radium, University of Paris. Irene also received a diploma in nursing.

During the first world war, Madam curie used X-Ray equipment at the French frontline to treat soldiers. Irene was helping her mother and treating soldiers with new experiments in radiology. By 1925 she had finished her doctoral thesis on the emission of alpha rays from polonium. That was the year she met her husband, Frédéric Joliot. They became lifelong partners and collaborators in their scientific research and experiments. In 1926, the couple married and decided to use the combined name Joliot-Curie to give credit to their scientific achievement and legacy. 

Frédéric Joliot-Curie started publishing scientific papers and experiments jointly. Frédéric Joliot-Curie received the Nobel prize in 1935 for their contribution to discovering artificially prepared radioactive isotopes. This recognition made Irene and her husband the second-ever married couple to win a Nobel prize after her parents. A year later, in 1936, the Leon Blum government appointed her as Undersecretary of State for Scientific Research. In ‘37, she became a Professor in the Faculty of Science in Paris. 

In 1938, to discover uranium fission, her research and experiments on the actions of neutrons on the heavy elements was a notable step in scientific history. She became Director of the Radium Institute in 1946. The same year, she was accidentally exposed to polonium in her laboratory when a sealed capsule exploded. That incident eventually caused her leukaemia and untimely death at age 58, on 17 March 1956, in Paris. 

Irene Joliot-Curie Facts 

Irene received many honorary doctorates from several institutes all over the world for her contribution to the field of physics and chemistry. She was a member of several famed scientific academies. Irene was an Officer of the Legion of Honour, the highest merit of honour from the French Government. 

However, her remarkable career is not limited to scientific achievements. Irene was a feminist icon and frontrunner activist for women’s social and political rights and their progression in all intellectual and social sectors. She was a member of the World Peace Council and the member of the National Committee of the Union of French Women. As a Commissioner of Atomic Energy, she took part in the construction of the first French Atomic Reactor in 1948. Irene and Frederic were politically active in resisting Fascism and Nazism in France. They continued the tradition of Pierre Curie, and Marie Curie started publishing their research and experiments for global scientific fraternities. In fear of their experiments being used for military purposes and destructive missions, they eventually stopped publishing their papers in 1939. 

Conclusion 

The discovery of artificially created radioactive atoms by Irene and her husband Frederic was a groundbreaking accomplishment in medical science, especially in the progression of cancer treatment. Irene and her contribution to the global community are still relevant in various ways, from the scientific field to women’s education, resisting fascism to promoting peace. Irene Joliot-Curie biography and her accomplishments in different fields are truly inspirational for all ages.