Marie Curie is known for her work with radiation, but her life is inspiring and should be remembered. Her early life made her illustrious, her work in science was revolutionary, and her works left a lasting effect that opened the doors to other discoveries, both within and outside the scientific field. She overcame the female stereotype of that time and helped pave the way for other scientists. The woman we know as Marie Curie “was born Maria Salomea Sklodowska on November 7, 1867 in central Warsaw, Poland,” (Griffith 1). From a young age, Marie Curie demonstrated an aptitude for doing wonderful things. Marie Curie was not left to her own devices to get through school, “Both her parents were teachers (her mother died when Maria was 10), she was highly motivated and well educated” (Griffith 1). Wladyslaw Sklodowski, her father, did not stop her from learning because she left school: "She received a general education in local schools and scientific training from her father" ("Marie Curie - Biographical" 1). Curie was motivated by her parents and “at the age of 16 she won a gold medal at the end of her secondary education” (Zwolinski 2). Most women back then had not finished secondary school, so this was a great achievement. Before Marie Curie went to college, her father's bad investments forced her to work. Marie Curie, due to her father's loss of money, “had to take a job as a teacher and, at the same time, clandestinely took part in the nationalist 'free university' campaign” (Zwolinski 2). Curie read to Polish women to help educate them. Not only did she do it secretly, but it didn't make her any money, she did it to give women a chance. She then became a housekeeper at 18, “wh… ​​half the paper……'” (Zwolinski 4). Works Cited Griffith, Bill. "Elements of inspiration." Elements of inspiration. Royal Society of Chemistry, January 2011. Web. 24 October 2013. .Langevin-Joliet, Hélène. "Chemistry International - Newsmagazine for IUPAC." International Chemistry - Newsmagazine for IUPAC. International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, 5 January 2011. Web. 24 October 2013. "Marie Curie - Biographical". Marie Curie - Biographical. Nobel Prize, nd Web. 24 October 2013. .Zwolinski, Zbigniew. "Maria Sklodowska-Curie1867-1934." Science in Poland. Humaniora, 14 March 2012. Web. 24 October. 2013. .