| 1921 |
Born on July 21, in
New York City, New York. |
| 1930s |
Studies physics at Hunter College (now the City
University of New York) Reads and is inspired
by a biography of Marie Curie written by her daughter,
Eve Curie. |
| 1940 |
Believing that good physics graduate
schools would not admit women in physics nor provide
financial assistance, she takes a job as a secretary
for a leading biochemist. She attends business school
to take stenography, thinking this would provide
her with a "back door" to get into graduate
school. |
| 1941 |
Leaves business school to attend graduate school at
the University of Illinois after receiving an offer to be a teaching
assistant in physics. She is the only woman among the four hundred
faculty members at the College of Engineering.
To make up for the lack of physics classes offered at Hunter, Yalow
sits in on two undergraduate physics classes, takes three graduate
courses and a is a teaching assistant for freshman physics during
her first year as a graduate student. |
| 1943 |
Marries Aaron Yalow, also a graduate
student at the University of Illinois. |
| 1945 |
Earns her Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics. |
| 1945 |
Accepts a position as an assistant engineer. |
| 1945 |
Teaches physics at Hunter. She also volunteers
to work with Dr. Edith Quimby to gain research experience in the
medical application of radioisotopes. |
| 1947 |
Joins the Bronx Veteran's Administration
Hospital to set up a radioisotope service. |
| 1950 |
Along with other scientists, develops a way to measure
the amount of proteins, such as insulin, in the body using radioisotopes. |
| 1977 |
Wins the Nobel Prize for Physiology
and Medicine. |
For more information about Rosalyn Yalow, visit the
following websites:
Autobiography
