Geographical Influences
Maria Goeppert-Mayer’s surroundings as she was growing up had a profound
impact on her work. When Maria was four, her family moved from Kattowitz,
Germany, (now Poland) to Goettingen, Germany. The family moved so
her father could become Professor of Pediatrics at Georgia Augusta University.
During the early part of the twentieth century, Georgia Augusta University,
also called Goettingen, was in its prime. The university was a growing
center of knowledge primarily in the fields of mathematics and physics.
The university was the home of the “Royal Society for Sciences” as well
as the Max-Plank-Society for the Promotion of Science. Goettingen
had also produced 42 Nobel Prize winners from its students and faculty.
Many prestigious scientists and mathematicians came to Goettingen to teach
and conduct research. Among those were Max Born, James Frank, Richard
Courant, Hermann Weyl, and many others. Many of these famous men
were her neighbors and close family friends. Because of Goeppert-Mayer’s
exposure to many great scientists and mathematicians she became determined
to become one. She entered the University in 1924 first as a math
student but then soon switched and became a student of the world-renowned
physicists Max Born. It was under Max Born that she saw first hand
many great developments in the field of quantum mechanics. Goettigen
during this time has been referred to as the “cauldron of quantum mechanics”(Sachs,
4).
Later in life Goeppert-Mayer’s geographical surrounding changed
drastically as she made a move form Germany to the United States.
She moved to the U.S. during the height of the depression and opportunities
for women were extremely limited. She did not give up merely because
of unfavorable surroundings. With a doctorate in physics she took
an assistantship job that mainly consisted of typing letters. She
worked her way up through the ranks and gained recognition and respect
for her research and teaching. A few years later she applied for
U.S. citizenship because she and her husband feared the growing power of
the Nazi party, which they had noticed on their trips, back home. When
she learned that the Nazi’s might have learned how to create an unheard
of weapon by splitting the nucleus of uranium, she felt is was important
that she used what she knew to help the United States.