Magdalena Mouján facts for kids
Magdalena Araceli Mouján Otaño (1926–2005) was an amazing Argentine mathematician. She was a pioneer in many fields in Argentina, like computer science, operations research, and nuclear physics. She also won awards for her science fiction stories!
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Her Early Life
Magdalena was born on March 26, 1926, in Pehuajó, a city in Argentina. Her grandfather was a famous Basque writer named Pedro Mari Otaño.
She loved math and studied it at the National University of La Plata. She earned her doctorate degree in 1950.
Teaching Career
After finishing her studies, Magdalena taught at several universities. These included the Catholic University of La Plata and the National University of Córdoba. She also taught at the National University of Comahue and the National University of Luján.
She had to take a break from teaching starting in 1966. This was because of a political event in Argentina.
Magdalena passed away on July 17, 2005, in Mar del Plata, another city in Argentina.
Her Work in Science
In 1957, Magdalena became one of the first four members of a special group. This group studied "operations research," which is about using math to make better decisions. The Argentine Army funded this group.
In the 1960s, she joined the National Atomic Energy Commission. This is a place where scientists study and use nuclear energy. She started using the Clementina computer at the University of Buenos Aires. Clementina was the very first scientific computer in Argentina!
Magdalena's math calculations were very important. They helped build the RA-1 Enrico Fermi nuclear reactor. A nuclear reactor is a machine that creates energy using nuclear reactions.
Her Science Fiction Stories
Magdalena also loved writing science fiction. She started writing in the early 1960s. She used a secret pen name, "Inge Matquim."
Award-Winning Stories
One of her science fiction stories was called "Los Huáqueros." It won first prize at Mardelcon in 1968. Mardelcon was a big meeting for science fiction fans in Argentina.
Another famous story she wrote was "Gu ta Gutarrak." This means "we and ours" in the Basque language. She wrote it to honor her grandfather's poem with the same name.
The story was also a funny way to look at some ideas about the Basque people. It tells the adventures of a Basque family who travel through time. They go back to their homeland to meet their ancestors.
A Story Blocked
"Gu ta Gutarrak" was supposed to be published in a Spanish science fiction magazine in 1970. But the government at the time, led by Franco, stopped it. They thought the story went against their ideas of Spanish unity.
However, the story was very popular. It was translated into many different languages. Finally, after Franco's death, "Gu ta Gutarrak" was published in the magazine in 1979.
See also
In Spanish: Magdalena Mouján para niños
