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| image = Maria Telkes NYWTS.jpg
| image = Maria Telkes NYWTS.jpg
| image_size =
| image_size =
| alt = Smiling middle-aged woman dressed in a lab coat.999
| alt = Smiling middle-aged woman dressed in a lab coat.
| caption = Telkes in 1956
| caption = Telkes in 1956
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1900|12|12}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1900|12|12}}
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| field = [[Physics]]
| field = [[Physics]]
| work_institutions = [[Cleveland Clinic Foundation]], Westinghouse, [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], [[New York University]], [[University of Delaware]]
| work_institutions = [[Cleveland Clinic Foundation]], Westinghouse, [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], [[New York University]], [[University of Delaware]]
| alma_mater =
| alma_mater = [[University of Budapest]]
| doctoral_advisor =
| doctoral_advisor =
| doctoral_students =
| doctoral_students =
| known_for = [[Thermoelectricity]], [[Water-powered Desalination machines]], [[Dover Sun House]], [[Solar powered oven]]
| known_for = [[Thermoelectricity]], [[Water-powered desalination machines]], [[Dover Sun House]], [[Solar-powered oven]], Solar energy storage
| author_abbrev_bot =
| author_abbrev_zoo =
| influences =
| influenced =
| prizes = [[National Inventors Hall of Fame]], [[Society of Women Engineers]] Achievement Award
| prizes = [[National Inventors Hall of Fame]], [[Society of Women Engineers]] Achievement Award
}}
}}


'''Mária Telkes''' (December 12, 1900 – December 2, 1980) was a Hungarian-American [[Biophysics|biophysicist]], engineer, and inventor who worked on [[solar energy]] technologies.<ref name="NIFH" />
'''Mária Telkes''' (December 12, 1900 – December 2, 1995) was a Hungarian-American [[biophysics|biophysicist]], engineer, and inventor who pioneered [[solar energy]] technologies. Often referred to as "The Sun Queen," Telkes held over 20 patents and created groundbreaking products such as solar stills, ovens, and residential heating systems, leaving an indelible mark on renewable energy technologies.<ref name="NIHF">{{Cite web |title=NIHF Inductee Maria Telkes Invented Solar Power Storage |url=https://www.invent.org/inductees/maria-telkes |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=www.invent.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name="PBS">{{Cite web |title=The Marvelously Inventive Life of Mária Telkes |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/sun-queen-marvelously-inventive-life-maria-telkes/ |website=PBS |access-date=2024-11-18}}</ref>


==Early Life and Education==
She moved to the United States in 1925 to work as a [[Biophysics|biophysicist]]. She became an American citizen in 1937 and started work at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT) to create practical uses of solar energy in 1939.<ref name="NIFH">{{Cite web |title=NIHF Inductee Maria Telkes Invented Solar Power Storage |url=https://www.invent.org/inductees/maria-telkes |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=www.invent.org |language=en}}</ref>
Telkes was born on December 12, 1900, in [[Budapest]], Hungary. An early interest in science was sparked when a classroom experiment at age 11 led her to set up her own home laboratory. Despite societal biases against women in science, she pursued higher education, earning a B.A. and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the [[University of Budapest]] in 1924. Her interest in solar energy was influenced by a book on its potential to solve energy problems in tropical areas.<ref name="PBS" />


==Career Highlights==
During World War II, she developed a [[solar still|solar water distillation device]], deployed at the end of the war, which saved the lives of downed airmen and torpedoed sailors.<ref name="NIFH"/><ref name=Britannica>{{cite web |title=Mária Telkes {{!}} American physical chemist and biophysicist {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Telkes |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Rinde2">{{cite journal |last1=Rinde |first1=Meir |date=July 14, 2020 |title=The Sun Queen and the Skeptic: Building the World's First Solar Houses |url=https://www.sciencehistory.org/distillations/the-sun-queen-and-the-skeptic-building-the-worlds-first-solar-houses |journal=Distillations |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref> Her goal was to create a version for villagers in poor and arid regions.<ref name="Saxon">{{Cite news |last=Saxon |first=Wolfgang |date=1996-08-13 |title=Maria Telkes, 95, an Innovator Of Varied Uses for Solar Power |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/13/us/maria-telkes-95-an-innovator-of-varied-uses-for-solar-power.html |access-date=2022-12-06 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Telkes, often called by colleagues '''The Sun Queen''',<ref name="INVHoF">{{cite news |title=How Mária Telkes Became 'The Sun Queen' {{!}} National Inventors Hall of Fame |url=https://www.invent.org/blog/inventors/maria-telkes-the-sun-queen |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=www.invent.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Oakes">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of World Scientists|author-first=Elizabeth H. |author-last= Oakes |title=Maria Telkes |page=714 |publisher=Infobase Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-4381-1882-6 |url={{google books |plainurl=y |id=uPRB-OED1bcC |page=714}}}}</ref> is considered one of the founders of [[Solar thermal collector|solar thermal storage]] systems. After the war, she became an associate research professor at MIT.
After relocating to the United States in 1924, Telkes began her career at the Cleveland Clinic, where she worked with [[George Washington Crile]] to develop a photoelectric mechanism capable of recording [[brain waves]]. She later worked at [[Westinghouse]] and joined [[MIT]] in 1939, where she focused on developing practical solar energy applications.<ref name="NIHF" />


===Solar Innovations===
In the 1940s she and architect [[Eleanor Raymond]] created one of the first solar-heated houses, [[Dover Sun House]], by storing energy each day.<ref name="Lemelson"/><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Maria Telkes {{!}} Lemelson |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/maria-telkes |access-date=2022-12-06 |website=lemelson.mit.edu}}</ref> In 1953 they created a solar oven for people at various latitudes that could be used by children.<ref name="auto2"/>
During World War II, Telkes designed a solar-powered desalination kit for the US military that converted seawater into drinkable water. This life-saving device became a standard component in military survival kits and earned her a patent in 1968.<ref name="PBS" />


In 1948, Telkes collaborated with architect [[Eleanor Raymond]] to create the [[Dover Sun House]], the world’s first solar-heated home. Utilizing Glauber's salt to store and release heat, the project demonstrated the feasibility of solar-powered residential heating despite technical challenges.<ref name="PBS" />
In 1952, Telkes became the first recipient of the ''[[Society of Women Engineers]] Achievement Award.'' She was awarded a lifetime achievement award from the [[National Academy of Sciences]], subsequently receiving a Building Research Advisory Board Award in 1977.{{r|Britannica}} Telkes registered more than 20 patents.<ref name="Weerts">{{cite news |last1=Weerts |first1=Gwen |title=Mária Telkes: All hail the Sun Queen |url=https://spie.org/news/photonics-focus/julyaugust-2021/maria-telkes_all-hail-the-sun-queen?SSO=1 |access-date=14 March 2022 |work=SPIE - The International Society of Optics and Photonics |date=1 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="Lemelson" />


In 1953, with support from the [[Ford Foundation]], Telkes developed a solar oven designed for use in developing countries. This oven could reach 400°F and was made from inexpensive, locally available materials.<ref name="PBS" />
==Early life and education==
Telkes was born in [[Budapest]], [[Hungary]], in 1900 to Aladár and Mária (née Lábán) de Telkes. Her grandfather [[:hu:Telkes Simon|Simon Telkes]] was from a [[History of the Jews in Hungary|Jewish]] family.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1963<!-- death notice from Bibliotheca Nationalis Hungariae--> |title=Telkes Aladárné Lábán Mária gyászjelentése |url=https://dspace.oszk.hu/handle/20.500.12346/514270}}(Death notice for Aladárné Telkes)</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Jewish Naming Customs |url=https://www.jewishgen.org/hungary/2003nameskinga.html |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=www.jewishgen.org}}</ref><ref>1879 végén [[Budapest|Budapesten]] mozgalmat indított a [[névmagyarosítás]] tömeges terjesztése érdekében és 1881-ban megalakította a Központi Névmagyarosító Társaságot, amelynek elnöke is lett. Rubin családi nevét 1881-ben változtatta Telkesre. Két évvel később belépett az [[Unitarizmus|unitárius egyházba]].Keresztény Magvető (1883) 1907. szeptember 17-én ''kelenföldi'' előnévvel magyar [[Nemesség|nemességet]] kapott.</ref> In 1881, her father [[Magyarization|magyarized]] the family name to Telkes. In 1883 he converted to the [[Unitarianism|Unitarian]] faith. In 1907 he was elevated to the Hungarian nobility, with the prefix kelenföldi.


===Energy Storage===
From an early age, Telkes was interested in chemistry, making her own chemistry set at age 10. Her father encouraged her explorations.<ref name=Fields>{{cite web |last1=Fields |first1=Simon |title=Only Human: Harnessing the Sun |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |website=Society of Women Engineers Records, LR001539. Walter P. Reuther Library |publisher=Daily News |access-date=July 20, 2024 |date=June 19, 1964}}</ref> Raised in Budapest, she embarked on a journey in physical chemistry at the University of Budapest, earning her Bachelor of Arts in 1920.<ref name="NIFH" /> In her first year there, she read an influential book, "Energy Sources of the Future" by Kornel Zelowitch. She said that book influenced her in deciding to go to the United States, since most solar energy work was being done there at that time.{{r|Fields}} Her academic pursuits continued as she pursued a Ph.D. in physical chemistry at the University of Budapest,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Saxon |first1=Wolfgang |title=Maria Telkes, 95, an Innovator Of Varied Uses for Solar Power |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/13/us/maria-telkes-95-an-innovator-of-varied-uses-for-solar-power.html?searchResultPosition=1 |access-date=July 20, 2024 |agency=New York Times |date=August 13, 1996}}</ref> completing her doctoral studies in 1924.<ref name="NIFH" />
A pioneer in solar energy storage, Telkes developed innovative materials and methods to store energy for long-term use, addressing one of the most critical challenges in renewable energy. Her contributions to [[phase-change materials]], such as Glauber's salt, advanced the field significantly.<ref name="NIHF" />


===Later Work and Legacy===
Following her educational achievements, Telkes became an instructor at the [[University of Geneva]] in 1924. However, her life took a turn when, after visiting a relative who served as the Hungarian consul in [[Cleveland, Ohio]], she decided to immigrate to the United States.
Telkes’s career spanned various roles, including positions at [[New York University]], [[University of Delaware]], and [[Melpar, Inc.]], where she continued advancing solar energy technologies. In 1977, she patented a solar air heater with movable aluminum slats to optimize heating efficiency year-round.<ref name="PBS" />


Telkes passed away in Budapest in 1995, leaving a legacy of innovations that laid the foundation for modern renewable energy solutions. Her contributions continue to influence solar energy research and applications worldwide.<ref name="NIHF" />
==Career==
Telkes moved to the United States in 1924,<ref name="Rinde2"/> and visited a relative who was the Hungarian consul in Cleveland, Ohio. There, she was hired to work at the [[Cleveland Clinic|Cleveland Clinic Foundation]] to investigate the energy produced by living organisms. Telkes did some research while working at the foundation, and under the leadership of [[George Washington Crile]], they invented a photoelectric mechanism that could record [[brain waves]].<ref name="Rinde2"/> They also worked together to write a book called ''Phenomenon of Life''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Telkes, Maria {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/telkes-maria |access-date=2019-04-03 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref>


==Awards and Recognition==
Telkes worked from 1937 to 1939 as a physicist at Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<ref name=SWE>{{cite web |last1=Telkes |first1=Maria |title=Biography |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |website=Society of Women Engineers Records, LR001539. Walter P. Reuther Library. |access-date=July 20, 2024 |location=File: Box 193, Folder 9}}</ref> She developed metal [[alloy]]s for [[thermocouples]] to convert [[heat]] into [[electricity]].<ref name="Rinde2"/>
* 1945: OSRD Certificate of Merit for desalination work
* 1952: Inaugural [[Society of Women Engineers]] Achievement Award
* 1977: Charles Greeley Abbot Award from the International Solar Energy Society
* 2012: Inducted into the [[National Inventors Hall of Fame]]<ref name="NIHF" />


==References==
Becoming an American citizen in 1937 marked a pivotal moment in Telkes's life. That same year, she transitioned to a research engineer role at Westinghouse Electric, where she initially focused on developing instruments converting heat into electrical energy. Her venture into solar energy research began in 1939. As part of the Solar Energy Conversion Project at MIT, she investigated [[Thermoelectric Devices and Materials|thermoelectric devices]] powered by sunlight.<ref name="NIFH" /> She was at MIT for 13 years and then for [[New York University]] for five years.{{r|Fields}} During World War II, she worked as a civilian advisor for the [[Office of Scientific Research and Development]] (OSRD).{{r|SWE}}

Her most notable innovation was the invention of the solar distiller and the development of the first solar-powered heating system designed for residential use.<ref name="Rinde2"/> In addition, Telkes also devised various devices capable of harnessing and utilizing energy stored from sunlight.

Telkes aimed to address the reliance on traditional heating methods, often powered by non-renewable energy sources. Her work sought to provide sustainable and [[environmentally friendly]] alternatives, particularly in the context of residential heating.

=== Desalination ===
During [[World War II]], the United States government, noting Telkes's expertise, recruited her to serve as a civilian advisor to the [[Office of Scientific Research and Development]] (OSRD).<ref name=":0" /> There, she developed a solar-powered water [[desalination]] machine, completing a prototype in 1942.<ref name="Rinde2"/> It came to be one of her most notable inventions because it helped soldiers get clean water in difficult situations and also helped solve water problems in the [[United States Virgin Islands|US Virgin Islands]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Telkes |title=Mária Telkes {{!}} American physical chemist and biophysicist|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref> However, its initial deployment was delayed until the end of the war because [[Hoyt C. Hottel]] repeatedly re-negotiated the manufacturing contracts for the machine.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

For this work, she received a Certificate of Merit in 1945 from the OSRD{{r|SWE}} and on March 15, 1952, the Society of Women Engineers awarded her their first Achievement Award "for her wartime method of distilling water from salt water by solar heat."<ref>{{cite news |title=MIT Woman Wins Sea Still Award |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Christian Science Monitor |date=March 17, 1952}}</ref>

=== Heat storage ===
Telkes identified [[thermal energy storage]] as the most "critical problem" facing designers of a workable solar-heated house.<ref name="Rinde2"/> One of her specialties was [[phase-change material]]s that absorb or release heat when they change from solid to liquid. She hoped to use phase-change materials like molten salts for storing thermal energy in active heating systems. One of her materials of choice was [[Glauber's salt]] (sodium sulfate).<ref name="Rinde2"/>

Hottel, as chairman of the solar energy fund at MIT, originally supported Telkes's approach. He wrote that "Dr. Telkes' contribution may make a big difference in the outcome of our project".<ref name="Rinde2"/> However, he was both less interested in and more skeptical about solar power, compared to Telkes. Telkes, like the project's funder [[Godfrey Lowell Cabot]], was a "fervent believer in solar energy".<ref name="Rinde2"/> There were personality clashes between Hottel and Telkes.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

In 1946, the group tried to use Glauber's salt in the design of their second solar house. Hottel and others blamed Telkes for problems with the material. In spite of support from university president [[Karl Compton]], Telkes was reassigned to the metallurgy department, where she continued her work on thermocouples. Although she was no longer involved in the MIT solar fund, Cabot would have liked her to return. He encouraged her to continue working on the problem independently.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

=== Dover Sun House ===
In 1948, Telkes started working on the Dover Sun House; she teamed up with architect [[Eleanor Raymond]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=NEWS |first=SA |date=2022-12-16 |title=Google Doodle Pays Tribute to Mária Telkes — "The Sun Queen" |url=https://news.jagatgururampalji.org/maria-telkes-google-doodle/ |access-date=2022-12-18 |website=SA News Channel |language=en-US}}</ref> with the project financed by philanthropist and sculptor [[Amelia Peabody (philanthropist)|Amelia Peabody]].<ref name="SCI">{{cite journal |last1=Mayer, J., Hafner, K. & The Lost Women of Science Initiative |title=This Biophysicist 'Sun Queen' Harnessed Solar Power |journal=Scientific American |date=November 16, 2023 |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/maria-telkes-the-biophysicist-who-harnessed-solar-power/}}</ref> The system was designed so that Glauber's salt would melt in the sun, trap the heat, and then release it as it cooled and hardened.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

The system worked with the sunlight passing through glass windows, which would heat the air inside the glass. This heated air then passed through a metal sheet into another air space. From there, fans moved the air to a storage compartment filled with the salt ([[sodium sulfate]]). These compartments were in between the walls, heating the house as the salt cooled.<ref name=SCI/>

For the first two years the house was successful, receiving tremendous publicity and drawing crowds of visitors. ''[[Popular Science]]'' hailed it as perhaps more important, scientifically, than the [[atom bomb]]. By the third winter, there were problems with the Glauber's salt: it had stratified into layers of liquid and solid, and its containers were corroded and leaking. The owners removed the solar heating system from their house, replacing it with an oil furnace.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

In 1953 [[George Russell Harrison]], dean of science at MIT, called for a review of the solar fund at MIT, due to concerns about its lack of productivity. The resulting report tended to promote Hottel's views and disparaged both Cabot and Telkes. Telkes was fired by MIT in 1953 after the report came out.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

Another solar house was built in Princeton NJ using the solar energy and thermal storage system developed by Telkes.<ref name=SWE/>

=== Solar-powered oven ===
By 1953, Telkes was working at the [[New York University]] College of Engineering where she continued to conduct solar energy research. Telkes received a grant from the [[Ford Foundation]] of $45,000 to develop a solar-powered oven so people who lack the technology around the world would be able to heat things.<ref name=Lemelson>{{Cite web |url=https://lemelson.mit.edu/resources/maria-telkes |title=Maria Telkes {{!}} Lemelson-MIT Program|website=lemelson.mit.edu|access-date=2019-04-03}}</ref> The project criteria included: "it had to be able to cook, boil, and bake according to any local custom", "durable, portable, and simple to use and clean", cheap, and it must be able to be used in the early evening (para. 39).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hernandez |first1=A. A. |title=A solar life |url=https://www.uspto.gov/learning-and-resources/journeys-innovation/historical-stories/solar-life |website=United States Patent and Trademark Office. |access-date=June 17, 2024 |pages=21}}</ref> Though not the first solar oven invented of this type (in India one was being used in low quantities for $14), its "simplicity and cheapness"<ref name=Ubell>{{cite news |last1=Ubell |first1=E. |title=$5 Stove Traps Sun's Rays to Bake, Broil, and Cook |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |access-date=June 25, 2024 |agency=Society of Women Engineers Records, LR001539. Walter P. Reuther Library |publisher=N.Y. Herald |date=March 8, 1954}}</ref>(para. 3) was its hallmark with a projected cost of $5 in 1954. Using a tightly insulated box, four mirrors, a glass window, and "a special heat-absorbing chemical"{{r|Ubell}}(para. 3), it reached {{Convert|350|F|C|abbr=off}} within 30 minutes. She was appointed Solar Research Director in 1958 for Curtis-Wright Corp. and New York University, over joint and separate solar energy projects.<ref name="Newsletter">{{cite web |last1=Newsletter |title=Dr. Maria Telkes appointed Solar Research Director |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |publisher=Society of Women Engineers |date=November 1958}}</ref>

Telkes spent several years in industry. Initially, she was the director of solar energy at the [[Curtiss-Wright|Curtiss-Wright Company]]. Next, she worked on materials for use in extreme conditions, such as space, at Cryo-Therm (1961–1963) as Director of Research and Development{{r|Fields}} (para. 5). This work included helping to develop materials for use in the [[Apollo mission]] and [[Polaris missiles]], specifically to help maintain constant temperatures for optimum missile functionality.<ref name="Oakes"/><ref name=Fields/> From 1963–1969, she worked as director of solar energy at [[Melpar, Inc.]]<ref name="Lemelson"/><ref name="Conference">{{cite web |title=Contribution of Dr. Maria Telkes |date=1964 |url=https://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/REPOSITORYCACHE/156/d5ne15BSVY0hV4ogbAmN6p592koYodSl607Z2in6km8aHI1y4S15vb3R58qwP34ra4tJ4nx1TJgHk55V7f17K3l8FSw6XNK5mjz39ERv2o9_3409.pdf |website=Proceedings of the First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists |access-date=14 March 2022}}</ref>

In 1964 she spoke at the first [[International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists]] in New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=First International Conference of Women Engineers and Scientists. (program) |url=https://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/REPOSITORYCACHE/156/d5ne15BSVY0hV4ogbAmN6p592koYodSl607Z2in6km8aHI1y4S15vb3R58qwP34ra4tJ4nx1TJgHk55V7f17K3l8FSw6XNK5mjz39ERv2o9_3409.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105184418/http://uihistories.library.illinois.edu/REPOSITORYCACHE/156/d5ne15BSVY0hV4ogbAmN6p592koYodSl607Z2in6km8aHI1y4S15vb3R58qwP34ra4tJ4nx1TJgHk55V7f17K3l8FSw6XNK5mjz39ERv2o9_3409.pdf |archive-date=2014-11-05 |access-date=2021-11-27}}</ref>

{{blockquote|"It is the things supposed to be impossible that interest me. I like to do things they say cannot be done." Mária Telkes, 1942.<ref name="Rinde2"/>}}

In 1969 Telkes joined the Institute of Energy Conversion at the [[University of Delaware]]<ref name="Lemelson" /> as an adjunct professor of Energy Conversion with a goal of substituting clean sun energy for "some of the polluting fuels".<ref name="SWE" /> She began to study electricity-generating [[photovoltaic]] cells. In 1971 she helped to build the first house to generate both heat and electricity from the sun.<ref name="Rinde2"/>

In January 1977, moving to Texas, she joined the Solar Energy Department of the [[American Technological University]]. Then, in 1980, she moved from Texas to Maryland with Monegon, Ltd. In 1981 she helped the [[US Department of Energy]] to develop and build the first fully solar-powered home, Carlisle House in [[Carlisle, Massachusetts]].<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Regents of the University of California |title=Earth and Sun Science Resources -- FOSS Next Generation |date=2016 |publisher=Delta Education |location=Madison WI |pages=117 |chapter=Maria Telkes}}</ref> She continued inventing and filing patents into her 80s, and died August 13, 1996, at the age of 95, in North Miami, Florida.<ref name="Saxon" />

== Awards, accolades, honors, professional groups ==
Telkes was recognized many times for her work.<ref name="Lemelson"/>

*1945 – OSRD Certificate of Merit for the Desalination Unit<ref name=":0" />
*1952 – Inaugural Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award<ref name="Lemelson"/>
*1977 – Charles Greeley Abbot Award, American Section of the [[International Solar Energy Society]]<ref name="Lemelson"/> "In recognition of (her) outstanding contributions to the utilization of solar energy for humankind"<ref name="LTR to Krohn">{{cite web |last1=Telkes |first1=Marie |title=Letter to B. Krohn, SWE Newsletter Editor |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |publisher=Society of Women Engineers Records, Box 193, Folder 9. Walter P. Reuther Library |access-date=June 25, 2024 |date=August 19, 1977}}</ref>
*1977 – Building Research Advisory Board for “significant contributions to building science and technology <ref name="BRAB 1977">{{cite web |title=BRAB honors Telkes for significant contributions |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |website=Society of Women Engineers Records, LR001539. Walter P. Reuther Library. |publisher=Society of Women Engineers |access-date=June 25, 2024 |pages=14 |date=May–June 1977}}</ref>
*2012 – Induction into the [[National Inventors Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=NIHF Inductee Maria Telkes Invented Solar Power Storage |url=https://www.invent.org/inductees/maria-telkes |access-date=2023-04-13 |website=www.invent.org |language=en}}</ref>

The asteroid [[390743 Telkesmária]] is named in her honor.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=14 May 2021 |title=WGSBN Bulletin |url=https://www.wgsbn-iau.org/files/Bulletins/V001/WGSBNBull_V001_001.pdf |journal=International Astronomical Union - WG Small Bodies Nomenclature Bulletin |volume=1 |issue=1 |pages=29}}</ref>

Telkes' work was recognized in a [[Google Doodle]] on December 12, 2022.<ref>{{Citation |title=Celebrating Mária Telkes |url=http://www.google.com/logos/doodles/2022/celebrating-maria-telkes-6753651837109453-2xa.gif |access-date=2023-04-13 |language=en}}</ref>

She is the subject of the [[documentary film]] ''The Sun Queen'' which first aired on ''[[American Experience]]'' on April 4, 2023.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.abqjournal.com/2587072/pbs-documentary-looks-at-the-life-of-solar-power-pioneer-maacuteria-t.html |author= Gomez, Adrian. |title= PBS documentary looks at the life of solar power pioneer Mária Telkes |newspaper= Albuquerque Journal |date= April 2, 2023 |accessdate= April 4, 2023 }}</ref>

She was a member of the Chemical Society, the Electrochemical Society, the Solar Energy Society (Board of Directors), Sigma Xi, and the Business and Professional Women’s Club, Society of Women Engineers.<ref name=SWE/>

== Patents & Papers ==
*Radiant Energy Heat Transfer Device: No. 2,595,905. May 6, 1952
*Heat Storage Unit: No. 2,677,367. May 4, 1954
*Composition of Matter for the Storage of Heat: No. 2,677,664. May 4, 1954
*Method and Apparatus for the Storage of Heat: No. 2,677,243. May 4, 1954
*Method and Apparatus for Storing and Releasing Heat: No. 2,808,494. October 1, 1957.
*Plus ten additional patents.<ref name=SWE/>

Telkes's papers are in the collections of the [[Arizona State University|Arizona State University Library]], Design and the Arts Special Collections, in Tempe, Arizona.<ref>{{cite web |title=Preliminary Inventory of the Maria Telkes Papers 1893-2000 (Bulk 1950s-1980s) Telkes, (Maria) Papers |url=http://www.azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/asu/telkes_acc.xml;query=;brand=default |website=Arizona State University Library Archives |access-date=14 March 2022}}</ref>

Telkes published over 100 papers, wrote book chapters, and ultimately some 50 patents.<ref name=SWE/><ref name=Killeen/>

== Legacy ==
Throughout her illustrious career, Mária Telkes amassed an impressive collection of twenty patents (some sources say 50),<ref name="Killeen">{{cite news |last1=Duncan |first1=Gra'Delle |title=Research to Join CTC Staff |url=https://archives.wayne.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/748689 |agency=Society of Women Engineers Records, LR001539. Walter P. Reuther Library. |publisher=Killeen Daily Herald |date=December 18, 1977}}</ref> spanning diverse methods related to heating, cooling, and heat storage technologies. Her groundbreaking contributions to the field of solar energy earned her the affectionate moniker of the "Sun Queen," a title that reflected her unparalleled dedication and leadership in harnessing solar power [5].Her inventive prowess and dedication to advancing sustainable solutions marked her as a trailblazer in the field.

“I have been intensively interested in Chemistry and Physics during my high school days. My aim was toe develop new energy sources, especially the use of Solar Energy. I have studied with this aim in mind, and nothing could have stopped me from working in this field. If I have succeeded to some extent, I feel that I enjoyed my scientific work more than any other activity.” <ref name=SWE/>

Telkes was known to say “You see, sunshine isn’t lethal – except perhaps in the form of sunburn” (SWE Achievement Award Citation) <ref name=SWE/>

Telkes's outstanding contributions were acknowledged through numerous accolades, including the prestigious Society of Women Engineers’ Achievement Award and the Charles Greely Abbot Award from the International Solar Energy Society.<ref name=Saxon/> Later in her career, at the age of 77, Telkes received a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, also an award from Building Research Advisory Board, underscoring the lasting impact of her work.<ref name="INVHoF"/> These honors reflect the profound and lasting impact of her pioneering work in harnessing solar energy for practical and life-changing applications.

<references group="[1]Butler, Kirstin. “The Marvelously Inventive Life of Mária Telkes.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 17 Mar. 2023, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/sun-queen-marvelously-inventive-life-maria-telkes/. [2]“How Mária Telkes Became ‘The Sun Queen.’” National Inventors Hall of Fame®, www.invent.org/blog/inventors/maria-telkes-the-sun-queen. Accessed 2 Dec. 2023. [3]Saxon, Wolfgang. “Maria Telkes, 95, an Innovator of Varied Uses for Solar Power.” The     New York Times, The New York Times, 13 Aug. 1996, www.nytimes.com/1996/08/13/us/maria-telkes-95-an-innovator-of-varied-uses-for-solar-power.html. [4]“Mária Telkes.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 28 Nov. 2023, www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Telkes. [5] “Google Remembers Maria Telkes, the ‘Sun Queen.’” Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 12 Dec. 2022, www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/12/maria-telkes-why-google-honours-her-today." responsive="0" />

==References ==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite web |title=Maria Telkes Resources |date=17 April 2023 |publisher=solarhousehistory.com |url=http://solarhousehistory.com/resources/#Maria-Telkes}}
* {{cite journal |last1=Tietjen |first1=Jill S. |last2=Bailey |first2=Margaret |title=Energetic Trailblazers: Kate Gleason, Edith Clarke, and Mária Telkes |journal=Women in Mechanical Engineering |series=Women in Engineering and Science |date=2022 |pages=3–23 |doi=10.1007/978-3-030-91546-9_1|isbn=978-3-030-91545-2 }}

{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:20th-century American chemists]]
[[Category:20th-century American women scientists]]
[[Category:American biophysicists]]
[[Category:American people of Hungarian-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American physical chemists]]
[[Category:Hungarian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Hungarian people of Jewish descent]]
[[Category:Hungarian physical chemists]]
[[Category:Hungarian women chemists]]
[[Category:Scientists from Budapest]]
[[Category:Scientists from Texas]]
[[Category:Women biophysicists]]
[[Category:Women inventors]]
[[Category:20th-century American inventors]]
[[Category:Hungarian biophysicists]]
[[Category:Members of the Society of Women Engineers]]

Revision as of 02:25, 19 November 2024

Mária Telkes
Smiling middle-aged woman dressed in a lab coat.
Telkes in 1956
Born(1900-12-12)12 December 1900
Budapest, Austria-Hungary
Died2 December 1995(1995-12-02) (aged 94)
Budapest, Hungary
Alma materUniversity of Budapest
Known forThermoelectricity, Water-powered desalination machines, Dover Sun House, Solar-powered oven, Solar energy storage
AwardsNational Inventors Hall of Fame, Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award
Scientific career
FieldsPhysics
InstitutionsCleveland Clinic Foundation, Westinghouse, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University, University of Delaware

Mária Telkes (December 12, 1900 – December 2, 1995) was a Hungarian-American biophysicist, engineer, and inventor who pioneered solar energy technologies. Often referred to as "The Sun Queen," Telkes held over 20 patents and created groundbreaking products such as solar stills, ovens, and residential heating systems, leaving an indelible mark on renewable energy technologies.[1][2]

Early Life and Education

Telkes was born on December 12, 1900, in Budapest, Hungary. An early interest in science was sparked when a classroom experiment at age 11 led her to set up her own home laboratory. Despite societal biases against women in science, she pursued higher education, earning a B.A. and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Budapest in 1924. Her interest in solar energy was influenced by a book on its potential to solve energy problems in tropical areas.[2]

Career Highlights

After relocating to the United States in 1924, Telkes began her career at the Cleveland Clinic, where she worked with George Washington Crile to develop a photoelectric mechanism capable of recording brain waves. She later worked at Westinghouse and joined MIT in 1939, where she focused on developing practical solar energy applications.[1]

Solar Innovations

During World War II, Telkes designed a solar-powered desalination kit for the US military that converted seawater into drinkable water. This life-saving device became a standard component in military survival kits and earned her a patent in 1968.[2]

In 1948, Telkes collaborated with architect Eleanor Raymond to create the Dover Sun House, the world’s first solar-heated home. Utilizing Glauber's salt to store and release heat, the project demonstrated the feasibility of solar-powered residential heating despite technical challenges.[2]

In 1953, with support from the Ford Foundation, Telkes developed a solar oven designed for use in developing countries. This oven could reach 400°F and was made from inexpensive, locally available materials.[2]

Energy Storage

A pioneer in solar energy storage, Telkes developed innovative materials and methods to store energy for long-term use, addressing one of the most critical challenges in renewable energy. Her contributions to phase-change materials, such as Glauber's salt, advanced the field significantly.[1]

Later Work and Legacy

Telkes’s career spanned various roles, including positions at New York University, University of Delaware, and Melpar, Inc., where she continued advancing solar energy technologies. In 1977, she patented a solar air heater with movable aluminum slats to optimize heating efficiency year-round.[2]

Telkes passed away in Budapest in 1995, leaving a legacy of innovations that laid the foundation for modern renewable energy solutions. Her contributions continue to influence solar energy research and applications worldwide.[1]

Awards and Recognition

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "NIHF Inductee Maria Telkes Invented Solar Power Storage". www.invent.org. Retrieved 2022-12-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "The Marvelously Inventive Life of Mária Telkes". PBS. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
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