Marie Curie exhibit part of month-long celebration

October 2, 2000
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ANN ARBOR—A traveling exhibit highlighting two-time Nobel laureate Marie Curie, her research into radioactivity, and the contributions of other women scientists who built on her work opens Oct. 9 at the University of Michigan Media Union Gallery, 2281 Bonisteel Blvd. The Media Union will be the exhibition’s only Michigan stop.

Part of month-long events in October celebrating Women’s History Month, “The Legacy of Marie Curie: 100 Years of Scientific Innovation” will appeal to people of all ages with little or no scientific background. The colorful, interactive display includes a computer-based Jeopardy®-type game, a light box for viewing x-rays and other diagnostic images, a working Geiger counter to measure the radioactivity of everyday items, and pieces of the original laboratory equipment used by Curie in her work.

The exhibit also highlights everyday processes and items—such as TV tubes, light-emitting diodes, computerized tomography, and radiation-based cancer treatments—that resulted from the discovery of radioactivity. Other women scientists showcased in the exhibit include Curie’s daughter Irene Joliot-Curie, Maria Goeppert
The Curie exhibit runs through Nov. 3, and is open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, noon-5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, noon-8 p.m.; and weekends 1-5 p.m. Concurrent with the exhibit will be a slate of special events including an Oct. 12 exhibit opening; an Oct. 18 symposium featuring prominent women scientists and authors; lectures; and educational activities. All events are free and open to the public. Sponsoring organizations include the U-M’s Department of
Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Department of Physics, Women in Engineering Office, and Women in Science and Engineering Program.

For event details, call the Women in Engineering Office at (734) 647-7012 or visit www.ners.engin.umich.edu/specialevent/curie. The Curie exhibit was organized by the J. Wayne Stark Galleries at Texas A&M University, as part of the Women in Discovery Project. Funding for the development of the exhibit and its national tour was provided by COGEMA, TXU Electric and Gas, the American Nuclear Society, the U. S. Department of Energy/Office of Nuclear Energy, the Nuclear Energy Institute, FRAMATOME, and Texas A&M University.

Marie CurieIrene Joliot-CurieNuclear Engineering and Radiological Scienceswww.ners.engin.umich.edu/specialevent/curie