How Is the NIHF Museum Celebrating Women’s History Month?

Every March, as the nation celebrates Women’s History Month, the National Inventors Hall of Fame^® Museum is proud to introduce a new exhibit honoring women who have made a significant impact on innovation and creativity.

Developed in partnership with the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), our 2024 Women’s History Month exhibit can be found just outside our museum doors, inside the atrium of the United States Patent and Trademark Office headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. This new display features six women who have shaped engineering and innovation in America and around the world.

Giuliana Tesoro

Formally trained as an organic chemist, Giuliana Tesoro was an innovative pioneer who advanced the use of anti-static chemicals, improved textile properties and developed flame-resistant fabrics. As a Jewish woman studying in Italy in the late 1930s, she faced many challenges, but her persistence led her to become an academic leader and a changemaker in the textile industry. She received the SWE Achievement Award in 1978.

Lynn Conway

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Lynn Conway co-invented Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI). This was the first comprehensive framework for designing and producing complex microelectronic chips, and it transformed the semiconductor industry. Conway received the SWE Achievement Award in 1990. One of the first transgender engineers, she is active in supporting transgender rights and seeking recognition for women’s technological achievements.

Rahima Mohammed

A senior principal engineer at Intel, Rahima Mohammed is an innovative leader in electronics thermal management whose silicon designs have set industry standards and shaped the future of semiconductors. A member of the South Asian diaspora, she is committed to promoting global engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), especially among women. Mohammed received the SWE Prism Award in 2015 and a SWE Advocating Women in Engineering Award in 2020.

Hang Loi

3M’s senior specialist engineer Hang Loi led the development of many electronic displays and safety apparel products from concept through manufacturing. A child refugee from Vietnam and a first-generation college student, Loi contributes to closing the gender gap through her dedication to STEM advocacy and mentorship. She received SWE’s Advocating Women in Engineering Award in 2022 and Patent Recognition Awards in 2020 and 2022.

Claudia Galván

Software engineer Claudia Galván has guided the development of impactful global software products and expanded access across many countries and languages. A 2023 recipient of the SWE Advocating Women in Engineering Award, Galván is an influential advocate for diversity. She strives to build more inclusive cultures, leading with strategic thinking and technical expertise.

Katalin Karikó

National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductee Katalin Karikó, a groundbreaking biochemist, co-invented the modified mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines. Her work has saved lives and reduced the severity of illness for billions of vaccine recipients worldwide. Despite many challenges, from a loss of funding to potential deportation, Karikó made a vital impact on the world’s response to a pandemic.

Meet More Visionary Innovators

To learn about more inspiring women who have been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, visit our website.