Referred to as the ‘Sun Queen,’ Maria Teleks’ inventions in the field of solar electricity turned the sun and sea into portable water during wartime.
In the 1950s, while in the depths of World War II, Maria Telkes fought through gender discrimination, public doubt, and the upper bounds of what was scientifically possible at the time to turn the ocean into drinkable water and save thousands of lives.
Maria Teleks was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1900, where she studied physical chemistry at the University of Budapest, where she eventually received her BA in 1920 and her PhD in 1924 (1). After visiting a relative, she decided to immigrate to the United States to push herself further in the field of energy discovery. In 1928, she became one of the first female scientists at the Cleveland Clinic, where she worked as a biophysicist with surgeon George Crile (2). Dr. Crile had a theory that the brain was the “positive pole” and the liver was the “negative pole” of the body (4). Telkes created specialized instruments to record the electrical energy produced by tissues (4). The device used a highly sensitive “photo-electric amplifying apparatus” to measure the faint light from the tissue solutions (4).
Eleven years later, Telkes moved on once again in search of more discovery, so she later became a research engineer at Westinghouse, a manufacturing company (3). Converting heat energy into electric energy was always Telkes’s focus, and she strived to invent and implement new methods. In 1940, Telkes joined the MIT Solar Energy Conservation Project. Applying her knowledge of physical chemistry, she began her life’s work on developing a process for storing and deploying solar-generated energy through the crystallization of sodium sulfate solution (3). Years later, Telkes partnered with female architect Eleanor Raymond to test and power a house heated exclusively via solar power for two and a half years (3). However, her greatest discovery came just after.
During the height of World War II, Telkes invented a solar distiller to vaporize seawater into drinkable water (1). It was effective and compatible with many naval units, and implemented on life rafts and to support water demands in the Virgin Islands (1). Her inventions played an essential role in allowing naval personnel to have access to drinking water while at sea for long periods of time. The solar-powered aspect of the design ensured there were no fragile electronics or batteries that could be broken or corroded by the constant ocean spray.
Eventually, her work propelled her forward, and she became a leading pioneer in solar energy (3). Telkes began the line of many accomplished female scientists, receiving the first Society of Women Engineers Achievement Award in 1952 (1). She was later recognized again with a lifetime achievement award from the National Academy of Sciences Building Research Advisory Board, acknowledging her contributions to solar-heated building technology (1). Before her time came to a close, she also won the Charles Greeley Abbot Award from the American Solar Energy Society for her work in advancing the field of energy to a new level (1).
After revolutionizing electric energy discovery and breaking boundaries for women in science, Maria Telkes retired from her half-decade-long career. However, in retirement, she continued to devote her time to science, where she went into consulting as a senior scientist, mentoring bright, young minds like her own, and keeping the fire of the female science movement alive.
Works Cited:
- Rafferty, J. P. (2011, February 18). Mária Telkes | American Physical Chemist & Biophysicist. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maria-Telkes
- Cleveland Clinic History: 1920s – The Dream Takes Shape. (2020). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/about/history/1920
- Telkes, Maria | Encyclopedia.com. (2026). Encyclopedia.com. https://www.encyclopedia.com/history/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/telkes-maria
- TIME. (1930, September). Science: Electrical Thinking. TIME; Time. https://time.com/archive/6745784/science-electrical-thinking/
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