first woman in modern Europe to obtain a doctorate in mathematics

The first woman in modern Europe to earn a doctorate in mathematics was Sofia Kovalevskaya, a pioneering Russian mathematician born in 1850. Despite societal obstacles, she studied independently and gained recognition for her groundbreaking work in analysis, partial differential equations, and mechanics. In 1874, she became the first woman in Europe to receive a doctorate in mathematics from a modern university (St. Petersburg). Kovalevskaya also made significant contributions to mathematics and was the first woman to hold a university chair in Northern Europe, breaking gender barriers and inspiring future generations in STEM fields.