The first woman to receive a PhD in physics was Marie Curie. She earned her doctorate from the University of Paris in 1903, becoming a trailblazer in a predominantly male field. Curie's groundbreaking research on radioactivity led to her being awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, and she later received a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911. Curie's contributions to science not only advanced the understanding of atomic structure but also paved the way for women in scientific research, inspiring future generations.