Sonja Ashauer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonja Ashauer
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Sonja Ashauer
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| Born | April 9, 1923 São Paulo, Brazil
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| Died | August 21, 1948 (aged 25) |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Alma mater | University of São Paulo, University of Cambridge |
| Known for | First Brazilian woman to earn a doctorate in physics |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Physics |
| Thesis | 'Problems in electrons and electromagnetic radiation' (1948) |
| Academic advisors | Paul Dirac, Gleb Wataghin |
Sonja Ashauer was a brilliant Brazilian physicist. She was born on April 9, 1923, and passed away on August 21, 1948. Sonja made history as the first Brazilian woman to get a PhD in physics. She was also the second woman in Brazil to graduate with a degree in physics.
Early Life and Education
Sonja Ashauer was born in São Paulo, Brazil. Her father, Walter Ashauer, was an engineer from Germany. Her mother was Herta Graffenbenger.
From 1935 to 1939, Sonja attended high school at the Gymnasium of São Paulo. Her father encouraged her to study science. After high school, she went to the University of São Paulo. There, she studied physics with a famous professor named Gleb Wataghin. Sonja graduated in 1942. She was the second woman in Brazil to earn a physics degree. The first was Yolande Monteux, who graduated in 1938.
Becoming a Physics Pioneer
Sonja continued her studies at the University of Cambridge in England. She spent three years there, working with Paul Dirac. He was a Nobel Prize winner in physics. People said Sonja was a very smart student.
In January 1948, Sonja achieved something amazing. She became the first woman from Brazil to earn a doctorate (PhD) in physics. Her special research paper, called a thesis, was titled Problems in electrons and electromagnetic radiation. In this paper, she explored a new and exciting area of physics called quantum electrodynamics. This field studies how light and matter interact at a tiny, quantum level.
Return to Brazil and Legacy
In March 1948, Sonja returned to Brazil. She started working as an assistant to her former professor, Gleb Wataghin. Sonja was also the first woman from Brazil to be chosen as a member of the Cambridge Philosophical Society. This is a group for scientists and thinkers at Cambridge University.
Sadly, Sonja became ill later that year. After catching a cold on a rainy day, she developed pneumonia. She was taken to the hospital but passed away six days later, on August 21, 1948. Her death certificate listed the causes as "bronchopneumonia, myocarditis, and heart failure." Sonja Ashauer's life was short, but her achievements opened doors for many women in science in Brazil.
See also
