Dr. Lise Meitner: Physicist and Atomic Pioneer

Dr. Elise Meitner some time after receiving her Ph.D. in Physics, Age 27

Dr. Lise Meitner and Dr. Otto Hahn at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry in 1936 

Credit: Archiv zur Geschichte der Max-Planck-Institut

Dr. Lise Meitner speaking with physicist students at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania              Credit: Bryn Mawr College

 

Did you catch Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer this summer? While the film highlights J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, it overlooks a key figure: Dr. Lise Meitner. This omission reflects the Matilda Effect, which refers to the bias against recognizing women scientists’ contributions.

Meitner, a physicist born in Vienna in 1878, played a pivotal role in discovering nuclear fission. While Oppenheimer portrays Luis Alvarez excitedly reporting the splitting of the uranium nucleus, it fails to mention that Meitner’s experiments laid the groundwork for this discovery.

Her journey began early; she excelled in math and science despite societal barriers and became the second woman to earn a physics doctorate from the University of Vienna in 1906. Meitner collaborated with Otto Hahn, co-authoring over 90 papers, yet faced significant discrimination, including limited access to university facilities and lower pay.

During World War I, she served as an x-ray technician while continuing her research. After the war, she became the first female physics professor in Germany. However, the rise of the Nazi regime forced her to flee Germany due to her Jewish heritage. With the help of colleagues, Meitner escaped to Sweden, where she discovered nuclear fission during a walk with her nephew, Otto Frisch.

Despite her monumental contributions, she was often overshadowed by her male counterparts. In 1944, Hahn received the Nobel Prize for fission, while Meitner’s contributions went unrecognized, despite her numerous nominations.

Lise Meitner left behind a legacy that includes the naming of element 109, meitnerium, in her honor. Her story reminds us of the importance of recognizing the contributions of women in science and ensuring their names are remembered. Listen to learn more about her connection to the atomic bomb and then visit the links below. Remember- stay pretty strong!

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• Lise Meitner - Biography, Facts and Pictures (famousscientists.org)
• Lise Meitner: The Pacifist Whose Breakthrough Led to the Atomic Bomb - Articles by MagellanTV
• Lise Meitner – the forgotten woman of nuclear physics who deserved a Nobel Prize (theconversation.com)
• The omission of women's contributions in 'Oppenheimer' is part of a harmful trend, Pitt experts say | University of Pittsburgh
• Lise Meitner, Oppenheimer and the Matilda-effect - Moving Science
• Lise Meitner: Her Life in Modern Physics Lesson Plans Grades 9-12
• Atomic Women: The Untold Stories of the Scientists Who Helped Create the Nuclear Bomb by Roseanne Montillo
• The Tenacious Dreams of Lise Meitner by Carolyn Reeves
• The Amazing Story of Lise Meitner: Escaping the Nazis and Becoming the World’s Greatest Physicist by Andrew Norman
• The Woman Who Split the Atom: The Life of Lise Meitner by Marissa Moss
• Hidden Powers: Lise Meitner's Call to Science by Jeannine Atkins
• Pretty Strong Pinterest Resources