Mária Telkes is a Hungarian-American biophysicist and inventor known for her groundbreaking work in solar energy technology. Her contributions to the field have earned her the nickname “Queen of the Sun.”
Telkes is a pioneer in solar thermal storage systems and plays a key role in developing practical applications of solar energy.
She is recognized as one of the founders of solar energy technology and her inventions have impacted the field.
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- Full name: Mária Telkes
- Date of birth: December 12, 1900
- Age: 123 years old
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Budapest, Austria-Hungary
- Nationality: Hungarian-American
- Occupation: Biophysicist, Inventor
- Parents: Aladar and Mária Laban de Telkes
- Siblings: None
- Spouse: None
- Children: None
- Relationship status: None
- Net worth: $5 million
Early life and education
Mária Telkes (123 years old as of 2023) was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary on December 12, 1900.
She grew up in Budapest and attended primary and secondary school in the city. Telkes showed a deep interest in science from an early age.
She attended the prestigious Eötvös Loránd University and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Chemistry in 1920. Her passion for the subject prompted her to pursue further education and she earned a PhD in Physical Chemistry in 1924.
Personal life
Mária Telkes’ personal life, including romantic relationships, spouses, and children, is not well documented.
Career
Telkes began her career as a biophysicist in the United States after moving there in 1924. She worked at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, researching the energy produced by living organisms.
Telkes collaborated with George Washington Crile and invented a photoelectric mechanism to record brain waves. She also co-wrote a book called “The Phenomenon of Life” at the foundation.
Telkes then worked as a physicist at Westinghouse, where she focused on developing metal alloys for thermocouples capable of converting heat into electricity.
In 1939, she joined the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to work on the newly established solar energy program.
Telkes’ expertise in solar technology was demonstrated during World War II when she developed a solar-powered water desalinator, providing clean water to soldiers in difficult situations.
One of Telkes’s notable achievements was the development of a solar distillation device that saved the lives of many pilots and sailors struck by torpedoes during the war.
She set out to create a version of the device that could benefit villagers in poor, arid areas. Telkes’s work continued after the war, and she collaborated with architect Eleanor Raymond to create one of the first solar-heated homes, the Dover Sun House. Their innovative design stored energy from the sun each day, heating the house.
Telkes was recognized for her contributions to the field of solar energy. In 1952, she became the first recipient of the Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award.
She also received a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Sciences’ Building Research Advisory Council in 1977.
Throughout his career, Telkes has filed more than 20 patents for his inventions and advancements in solar technology.
Net worth
According to sources, Mária Telkes has a net worth of around $5 million.
Death
Mária Telkes died on December 2, 1995 in Budapest, Hungary, at the age of 94.
Social media
- Instagram Name: None
- Twitter Username: None
