The first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize was Marie Curie. She received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, shared with her husband Pierre Curie and Henri Becquerel for their joint research on radioactivity, a term she coined. Curie later won a second Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for her discoveries of the elements polonium and radium. Her groundbreaking work not only advanced scientific knowledge in the field of physics and chemistry but also broke significant barriers for women in science, paving the way for future female scientists. Curie remains an enduring symbol of scientific excellence and determination.