Stefania Maracineanu was a Romanian physicist who discovered artificial radioactivity.

She was born in 1882 in Bucharest and it is known that her childhood was difficult.

In 1907 she began studies at the University of Bucharest and received a degree in physics and chemistry.

After her studies she taught in schools in her city.

In 1919 she took courses on radioactivity in Paris. Then she began research related to the element polonium. She also worked with Marie Curie for her research. Her thesis was entitled ‘the interference of light and its application to the measurement of wavelength’.

After her work she taught at the University of Bucharest.

She died in 1944 of cancer due to exposure to radiation.

[Source: en.wikipedia.org]