2. Emmy Noether

Photo Credit: NY Times SPL/Photo Researchers

Amalie “Emmy” Noether goes down as one of history’s pioneering female mathematicians, even inspiring Albert Einstein to describe her as the “most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began.” Noether was a German mathematician who focused on algebra. She persevered through multiple gender obstacles to fight for her right to teach and helped research the math behind Einstein’s theory of general relativity. When the Nazis took over Germany, Noether, like many other Jewish professors, was forced to leave and she came to the United States, where she taught until her death shortly after.