5 Women of History Who Shaped the Energy World

While there are countless women throughout history who’ve made a positive impact on our world, we thought we’d take the opportunity this Women’s History Month to highlight a handful who’ve made a difference in shaping the energy landscape we all know and depend on today. Here are five women of history who shaped the energy world.

1. Florence Bascom: Born in 1862, Florence Bascom is widely known as America’s first female geologist, as well as one of the most influential scientists of her time shaping the field of geology. She made a direct impact on modern mineral exploration, mapping techniques and the science used later that supported the energy and mining industries.
2. Katharine Burr Blodgett: Born in 1892, Katharine Burr Blodgett was the first woman to earn a PhD in physics from Cambridge University. She’s known for inventing non-reflective glass, which is today used in solar panels, telescopes and energy-efficient windows. Blodgett is featured in the Smithsonian’s “Stories on Women in STEM: Energy.”
3. Edith Clarke: Born in 1883, Edith Clarke was the first professional female electrical engineer in the U.S., earning her bachelor’s degree from Vassar College in 1908—she later earned a graduate degree from MIT. Clarke invented the Clarke Calculator, which is used to solve power-transmission problems. And she was instrumental in helping design and optimize early electric power grids.
4. Edith Flanigen: Born in 1929, Edith Flanigen is praised as one of the most influential chemists of the 20^th century. She’s best known for inventing molecular sieves—synthetic zeolites—which are materials that helped transform petroleum refining, environmental cleanup and chemical manufacturing. Her work made fuel production cleaner, more efficient and less energy intensive.
5. Maria Telkes: Born in 1900, Maria Telkes was a Hungarian-American physicist and early solar energy pioneer—sometimes referred to as “The Sun Queen” of Solar Energy. Telkes developed some of the first practical solar-powered technologies, including solar heating systems, solar ovens and solar-powered water distillation devices. She helped lay the groundwork for modern solar thermal storage and renewable energy systems.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, these stories remind us that many of the energy innovations we rely on today were shaped by trailblazing women. Their legacies continue today, powering new ideas, technologies and a whole new generation of women who will help define our future. Thanks for reading our blog—and stay tuned for more!