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Last revised: July 2009
Biographical Information on Scientists
Scope: The following sources are useful for finding biographical information on scientists. For more information contact Nedelina Tchangalova at nedelina(@umd.edu).
Looking for...
When searching for biographies, it helps to know some basic facts about the person you are researching. You can often find very basic information about a person by checking an encyclopedia such as:
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To locate books, search the UM Libraries' online catalog. Books in the catalog can be located using various search methods. Books by or about a given person can be found by doing a author beginning with... search or a subject word/s search. A word/s anywhere search will locate words and terms that appear in the title, subject headings or notes of a record.
The following are some examples of subject headings that can be used for finding biographical information on scientists. Select subject beginning with... from the drop down menu of the search box and try one of the following search terms:
scientists
scientists united states (or other country name)
science united states (or other country name) biography
scientists united states (or other country name) biography
scientists biography
engineers biography
scientists biography dictionaries
engineers biography dictionaries
scientists biography
science bio-bibliography
women scientists biography
women engineers biography
women scientists united states (or other country name)
african american scientists biography
african american women scientists biography
women biologists biography
women physical scientists biography
For additional subject headings, consult the Library of Congress Subject Headings located near the McKeldin Library Information Desk or browse headings online at Library of Congress Authorities.
To locate video, audio, archival or other information formats, use the advanced search. Select subject word/s or subject beginning with... from the drop down menu. Enter the name of the scientist or use the subject headings from the list above. Narrow your search by selecting an option from the drop down menu listed in the format search box.
To find biographical information covering a broad subject area such as chemistry, type the keywords chemistry biograph* . The asterisk (*) at the end of the word root biograph* is a truncation symbol which tells the catalog to retrieve variant endings (biography, biographies, biographical, biographically, etc.).
If there is a particular item you want but cannot find in our libraries, you may request it via Interlibrary Loan.
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General
To locate the most recent published biographical books, search the UM Libraries' online catalog. Use advanced search and type "Scientists -- Biography" in subject and limit your results to the desired publication year.
- American Men and Women of Science.
New Providence, NJ: Bowker, 2006.
LOCATION(S): MCK PSTACKS, CHEM STACKS, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141 .A471
Biographical directory of 129,769 active American scientists and engineers who have made significant contributions in their fields. Entries include personal data, education,current position, professional experience, memberships, research statement and mailing . Fax numbers and E-mail addresses are included when provided. Volume 8 organizes biographies by field of activity.
- Biography and Genealogy Master Index. [Electronic Version]
Detroit: Gale Research.
LOCATION(S): MCK PSTACKS
CALL NUMBER: CT210 .B5
Indexes reference sources containing multiple biographies. It enables the user to determine which edition(s) of which publications to consult for biographical information. It provides a consolidated index to 13.6 million biographical sketches of living and deceased persons from every field of activity and all areas of the world.
- Collins Biographical Dictionary of Scientists.
Glasgow: HarperCollins, 1994.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.C64 1994
Has biographies of scientists from antiquity to present in dictionary format. Each biography includes references for further information. There is a subject index.
- Daintith, John. Oxford Dictionary of Scientists. [Electronic Version]
Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, CHEM REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.D52 1999
Updates the Encyclopedia of Scientists published by the Institute of Physics published in 1993. Has basic biographical data. Coverage appears to be primarily American, Canadian and European scientists. Electronic access available via netLibrary.
- Elliot, Clark A.Biographical Dictionary of American Science: The Seventeenth Through Nineteenth Centuries.
Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1979.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.E37
Designed as a retrospective companion to American Men of Science,
this dictionary includes entries for nearly 600 scientists not included in
AMS. Entries include scientist's full name, date and place of birth and
death, field(s), names of parents, spouse and children, education, honors,
career, scientific contributions, works and works about. See Appendix E,
p. 336: Fields of Science.
- Elliot, Clark A.Biographical Index to American Science: The Seventeenth Century to 1920.
New York: Greenwood Press, 1990.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.B533 1990
The purpose of this resource is to locate basic biographical information on
2,850 scientists who died prior to 1921. Entries include name, date of
birth and death, field, occupational category, manuscript sources and
works about the person (refer to the Key to Biographical Sources
section). It supplements the previous two works listed.
- Gillispie, Charles C., editor in chief. Dictionary of Scientific Biography.
New York, NY: Scribner, 1970-1989.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.D5
Contains lengthy articles with bibliographies on prominent deceased scientists from antiquity to the
twentieth-century. Be sure to check the supplements which contain some
biographies missed in the original volumes. The DSB includes engineers and
physicians only in so far as they were noted for scientific achievements,
and has few entries on women or black scientists.
- Ireland, Norma Olin. Index to Scientists of the World, from Ancient to Modern Times: Biographies Portraits.
Boston: Faxon, 1962.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Z7404.I7
Indexes 338 collections of books covering 7,475 different scientists, inventors, engineers,
physicians, etc. Potentially useful for teachers and media specialists as
this index covers many basic juvenile books. Arrangement is alphabetical
by scientist's surname. Birth/death dates, nationality and occupation are
given for each scientist.
- Isis Cumulative Bibliography: A Bibliography of the History of Science formed from Isis Critical Bibliographies.
London: Mansell, 1971-
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, ESPL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q125.I18
Cumulates annual bibliographies published in the History of Science Society's publication ISIS. Includes biographical references.
- McMurray, Emily J., ed. Notable Twentieth Century Scientists.
Detroit: Gale Research, 1995.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.N73 1995
Biographies of approximately 1,300 scientists active in this century in the natural, physical and applied
sciences, including traditional as well as more recently established
fields such as computer science, ecology, engineering and environmental
science. Entries are arranged alphabetically by surname. Each entry
includes name, birth/death dates, nationality and primary fields of
specialization and a biographical essay. Some include photographs.
Information is included on selected writings and sources for further
information. Volume 4 has indexes for Field of Specialization, Gender,
Nationality/Ethnicity and Subject.
- Millar, David, et. al. Cambridge Dictionary of Scientists.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, ESPL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.C128 2002
Lists 1500 scientists from forty countries.
Biographical information includes birth/death dates and descriptions of
research. Portraits included. There are subject and names indexes.
- National Academy of Sciences. Biographical Memoirs. [Electronic Version]
Washington: National Academy of Sciences, 1879-
LOCATION(S): MCK PSTACKS
CALL NUMBER: Q141.N2
Published since 1877, Biographical Memoirs is a monograph series that features the life histories and selected bibliographies of deceased National Academy of Sciences members. Monographs printed since 1995 are available online at the National Academy of Sciences website.
- Oakes, Elizabeth H. Encyclopedia of World Scientists.
New York: Facts on File, 2001.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.O25 2001
Biographical essays for nearly 500 scientists including over 200 women and minority scientists. Some
illustrations. Indexes by field of specialization, nationality, and subject.
- Pelletier, Paul A. Prominent Scientists: An Index to Collective Biographies.
NY: Neal-Schuman, 1994.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.P398 1985
An index to biographies which appear in books published from 1960-1992.
- Poggendorff, J.C. Biographisch-literarisches Handwörterbuch der exakten Naturwissenschaften.
Leipzig: J.A. Barth, 1863-1992.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Z7404.P741
This resource gives information on about 29,000 scientists, engineers, and mathematicians from the mid-1800s to the late 1900s. It helps identify many papers not indexed elsewhere. It includes brief biographies, major works, and some secondary sources. Coverage is worldwide.
- Porter, Roy, ed. Hutchinson Dictionary of Scientific Biography.
Oxford: Helion, 1994.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.H88
Includes historical essays, A-Z biographical entries
of scientists, glossary of terms, and subject index.
- Royal Society (Great Britain). Obituary Notices of Fellows of The Royal Society. [Electronic Version]
London: Harrison & Sons, 1932-1954.
LOCATION(S): Off-Site Shelving (v. 3-8)
CALL NUMBER: Q41.L8475
Obituaries of Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society. Electronic full-text available via E-Journals.
- Royal Society (Great Britain). Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. [Electronic Version]
London: Royal Society of London, 1955- .
LOCATION(S): MCK PSTACKS (v. 1-16, incomplete), CHEM STACKS (v. 13-48, incomplete)
CALL NUMBER: Q41.R9
Obituaries of Fellows and Foreign Members of the Royal Society. Electronic full-text available via E-Journals.
- Simmons, John G. The Scientific 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Scientists.
Secaucus, N.J.: Carol Pub. Group, 1996.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q148.S55 1996
The author selected scientists "distinguished for discovering new things about
nature but not manipulating it for other ends". The scientists are ranked
by overall influence as determined by the author.
- Simonis, Doris, ed. Scientists, Mathematicians, and Inventors: Lives and Legacies. [Electronic Version]
Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, 1999.
LOCATION(S): EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.S54 1999
Has 200 concise biographies that describe each individual's contributions and the
long term effects of their work. Extensive bibliography. Electronic access available via netLibrary.
- Smith, Roger. Biographies of Scientists: An Annotated Bibliography.
Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1998.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.S55 1998
The scope is international, from classical times to the present, in the fields of the natural and
physical sciences. The references are drawn from English language sources
published in the 20th century.
- Who's Who in Science and Engineering.
Wilmette, IL: Marquis Who's Who, 1992-
LOCATION(S): EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.W57 2002-03
Provides biographical facts - including personal data, achievements, discoveries, research findings, patents, and career histories - of leading scientists and engineers.
- Young, Robyn V., ed. Notable Mathematicians: From Ancient Times to the Present.
Detroit: Gale, 1998.
LOCATION(S): EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: QA28.N66 1998
Has biographical information on 303 mathematicians including more than fifty women, and fifteen Asian
American, African American, and Hispanic mathematicians and thirty
mathematicians from countries outside of North America and Western Europe.
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Women in Science
- Bailey, Martha J. American Women in Science: A Biographical Dictionary.
Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1994.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.B25
Coverage is primarily nineteenth
century women and early twentieth century including women who began their
careers prior to 1950. The earliest entries are from the eighteenth
century.
- Bailey, Martha J. American Women in Science: 1950 to the Present: A Biographical Dictionary.
Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1998.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.B254 1998
Updates the previous work.
- Grinstein, Louise S., et. al., editors. Women in the Biological Sciences: A Biobibliographic Sourcebook.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1997.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: QH26.W66 1997
Sixty-five representative women from different countries and eras
are selected for inclusion. The scope was limited to those deceased or
else born on or before 1930. Entries, arranged alphabetically, include a
biographical essay, a list of works by the scientist, as well as a list of
works about the scientist.
- Haines,Catharine M.C. ; with Helen M. Stevens. International Women in Science: A Biographical Dictionary to 1950.
Santa Barbara, Calif.: ABC-CLIO, 2001.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.H2167 2001
Lists women by profession. The
majority of women included are from Britain. Women born in North America
are excluded. Covers women's who lived from 1600 to those who began their
careers by 1950.
Brief biographical essays and bibliographies.
- Herzenberg, Caroline L. Women Scientists from Antiquity to the Present: An Index: An International Reference Listing and Biographical Directory of Some Notable Women Scientists from Ancient to Modern Times.
West Cornwall, CT: Locust Hill Press, 1986.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.H475 1986
Provides information and
biographical references for approximately 2500 women who have worked in
the fields of science, medicine, engineering and technology from antiquity
to the time this list was compiled. Scientists are listed alphabetically,
with coded information which refers the reader to 130 works for further
specific information on these women.
- Morrow, Charlene and Teri Perl. Notable Women in Mathematics: A Biographical Dictionary.
Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1998.
LOCATION(S): EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: QA28.N68 1998
Biographical essays about fifty-nine women mathematicians. Essays
include a photograph or picture and selected works by and about each
mathematician.
- Oakes, Elizabeth H. International Encyclopedia of Women Scientists.
New York: Facts on File, 2002.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.O27 2002
Biographical essays for 500 women scientists from as far back as
400 BC. Some illustrations. Indexes by field of specialization,
nationality, and subject.
- Ogilvie, Marilyn and Joy Harvey, editors. The Biographical Dictionary of Women in Science: Pioneering Lives from Ancient Times to the Mid-20th Century.
New York: Routledge, 2000
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.B5285 2000 (2 volumes)
Covers 2,500 women
scientists and engineers of all nationalities. Women scientists born
before 1910 who are still living and those born more recently than 1910
but have died are included. The entries are also listed by occupation,
time period and country.
- Shearer, Benjamin F. and Barbara S. Shearer, editors. Notable Women in the Life Sciences: A Biographical Dictionary.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: QH26.N68 1996
Biographical entries about 97 women who made significant contributions to the life sciences from antiquity to the present. Each entry begins with a chronology of significant events and includes a bibliography.
- Siegel, Patricia Joan. Women in the Scientific Search: An American Bio-Bibliography, 1924-1979.
Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1985.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL STACKS
CALL NUMBER: Q141.S54 1985
A bibliography of biographical books. Sections are arranged by scientific
field, and within each section, organized by date of publication. Many of
the books cover more than one scientist; Use the index to locate a
specific scientist.
- Sterling, Keir B., et. al. Biographical Dictionary of American and Canadian Naturalists.
Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press, 1997.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: QH26.B535 1997
Covers 445 naturalists living in colonial times to the
present. Biographical information includes birth/death dates, family
and education, positions held, career and major contributions. Some
entries have bibliographies. There is an appendix with entrants organized
by field of specialization. Index.
- Warren, Wini. Black Women Scientists in the United States.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.W367 1999
Essays on more than 100
Black women, including M.D.s, who are engaged in research. The essays have
extensive lists of references. Time period covered is 1900-1960.
- Zierdt-Warshw, Linda. American Women in Technology: An Encyclopedia.
Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2000.
LOCATION(S): EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: T36.Z54 2000
A diverse compendium of biographies of leading American women in the field of technology.
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African American Scientists
- Gubert, Betty Kaplan. Distinguished African Americans in Aviation and Space Science.
Wesport, Conn: Oryx Press, 2002.
LOCATION(S): EPSL Stacks
CALL NUMBER: TL539.G83 2002
Chronicles the lives and careers of 100 African Americans in aviation or space science. Each biographical is narrative divided into three sections: Early Years, Higher Education, and Career Highlights.
- Kessler, James H. Distinguished African American Scientists of the 20th Century.
Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1996.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.D535 1996
Includes entries for 100 men and
women scientists, from the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with
extensive biographical profiles. Two appendices list scientists
chronologically and by research area.
- Sammons, Vivian Ovelton, compiler. Blacks in Science and Medicine.
New York, NY: Hemisphere, 1990.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF, EPSL REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.B58 1990
Biographical sketches
on African American scientists, technologists, and health practitioners.
Includes historical figures as well as people who are still alive.
- Warren, Wini. Black Women Scientists in the United States.
Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999.
LOCATION(S): MCK REF
CALL NUMBER: Q141.W367 1999
Essays on more than 100 Black
women, including M.D.s, who are engaged in research. The essays have
extensive lists of references. Time period covered is 1900-1960.
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Because of licensing agreements, subscription databases are only accessible to current students, faculty, and staff of the University of Maryland, College Park. These users can access them through Research Port.
Biographical Information (LexisNexis)
LexisNexis includes a reference search tool for biographical sources, obituaries, people-related news sources and selected biographical stories. Click on Reference (under "Academic Search Forms") and then on Biographical Information.
Biography and Genealogy Master Index (BGMI)
This database is good place to begin to search for information
about people. It indexes reference sources containing multiple
biographies. It enables the user to determine which edition(s) of which
publications to consult for biographical information. It provides a
consolidated index to 13.6 million biographical sketches of living and
deceased persons from every field of activity and all areas of the world.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Contains the full-text of the 32-volume Encyclopædia Britannica (plus thousands of additional articles and images not available in the print set); Webster's Third New International Dictionary Unabridged; and the Britannica Book of the Year. EB Online also features a searchable Internet directory.
Oxford African American Studies Center
A full-text database that provides comprehensive coverage of the African American experience. Updated quarterly, the online collection contains scholarly articles, biographies, commentaries, primary sources, subject entries, film clips, images, maps, charts, tables, web sites, and timelines.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Academy
Biographies of more than 50,000 noteworthy people, no longer living, who inhabited or were connected with the British Isles. Portraits included for more than 10,000 entries.
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Chemistry
100 Distinguished European Chemists (http://www.euchems.org/Distinguished/index.asp)
Biographical sketches of 100 European chemists compiled by the Federation of European Chemical Societies (FECS).
Chemical Genealogy Database (http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/~mainzv/Web_Genealogy/index.htm)
A database tracing the intellectual genealogy of over 1000 chemists and related scientists. Entries contain birth and death dates, degrees, institutions, advisors, scientific accomplishments, and bibliographic references.
Math
MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive: Indexes of Biographies (http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/BiogIndex.html)
Alphabetical and chronological index of mathematician biographies.
Mathematical Association of America: Index of Biographies (http://www.maa.org/summa/archive/ar_index.htm)
Biographies of members of the Mathematical Association of America.
Mathematicians of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries (http://www.maths.tcd.ie/pub/HistMath/People/RBallHist.html)
Accounts of the lives and works of 17th and 18th century mathematicians adapted from A Short Account of the History of Mathematics by W. W. Rouse Ball (4th Edition, 1908). Biographies can be browsed by name or chronology.
Anthropology
Anthropology Biography Web (http://emuseum.mnsu.edu/information/biography/)
Chronicles the lives and careers of 850 anthropologists and other scientists that have had a direct influence on the discipline of anthropology.
Biology
Biographies of Biologists (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/help/topic/history.html)
A directory of life scientist biographies on the web arranged alphabetically by name.
Profiles in Science (http://www.profiles.nlm.nih.gov/)
National Library of Medicine's archival collections of prominent twentieth century biomedical scientists.
Women
4000 Years of Women in Science (http://www.astr.ua.edu/4000WS/)
Provides biographical portraits for over 125 women in the sciences; mainly pre-20th century. Biographies can be browsed by name, field of study, or time period.
Archives of Women in Science and Engineering (http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/wise/wise.html)
Describes the personal papers of women scientists and engineers and the records of national and regional women’s organizations in these fields.
Biographies of Women Mathematicians (http://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/women.htm)
Entries include a biographical essay and references. Has links to the first PH.D's in mathematics by women before 1930 and prizes, awards, and honors for women mathematicians, and other resources on women mathematicians and scientists.
Contributions of 20th Century Women to Physics (CWP) (http://cwp.library.ucla.edu/)
Archive of data on 83 twentieth century women who have made original and important contributions to physics. The citations describe and document their major contributions and provide biographical information pertaining to the scientific lives of the women.
Distinguished Women of Past and Present (http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/subject/field.html)
Offers biographies of notable women throughout history, including scientists, engineers, inventors, artists, educators, politicians, and entrepreneurs.
African Americans
The Faces of Science: African Americans in the Sciences (https://webfiles.uci.edu/mcbrown/display/faces.html) Indexed by name and by profession. Includes a section on women scientists and a list of first science Ph.D.s awarded to African Americans.
Notable African-American Scientists and Inventors
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmpeople15.html
General
Australian Academy of Science, Biographical Memoirs (http://www.science.org.au/academy/memoirs/)
Biographical memoirs of members of the Australian Academy of Science published since 1966.
Biographies--Science and Technology
http://www.Infoplease.com
Bright Sparcs (http://www.asap.unimelb.edu.au/bsparcs/)
Biographies of Australian scientists and engineers. Entries include links to related articles and images as well as references to archival and bibliographic resources.
Eric Weisstein's World of Scientific Biography (http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/) 1071 entries organized alphabetically, by branch of science, gender/ethnicity, historical period, and nationality. An index of prize winners is also included.
Galileo Project: Catalog of the Scientific Community in the 16th and 17th Centuries (http://galileo.rice.edu/lib/catalog.html)
A database of 631 detailed biographies on members of the scientific community during the 16th and 17th centuries. The database is searchable by up to 20 different fields including name, birthdate, nationality, scientific discipline, and religion.
Great Canadian Scientists (http://www.science.ca/scientists/scientists.php)
Provides biographical profiles of 245 Canadian scientists in 39 areas of expertise, including physics, chemistry, medicine, genetics, botany, psychology, anthropology, and meteorology.
Invention Dimension (http://web.mit.edu/invent/i-archive.html)
MIT's Invention Dimension highlights a different American inventor each week with a biographical sketch describing their invention and contribution to society. The site includes an archive of biographies of past inventors of the week. The archive can be browsed by inventor or category of invention.
Inventors Assistance League (http://www.inventions.org/culture/)
The Inventors Assistance League site provides biographical information about under-represented inventors including women and African-Americans.
National Academy of Sciences Biographical Memoirs (http://www.nasonline.org/site/PageServer?pagename=MEMOIRS_A)
Biographies of deceased National Academy of Sciences members published since 1995.
National Inventors Hall of Fame (http://www.invent.org/hall_of_fame/1_1_search.asp)
Profiles of inventors honored by the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation. The Hall of Fame inductee database is searchable by inventor, invention, induction date, or decade.
NobelPrize.Org (http://nobelprize.org/)
Official site of the Nobel Foundation. Contains biographies of all Nobel laureates since the awarding of the first prize in 1901.
A Science Odyssey: People and Discoveries (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/bioindex.html)
Biographies of scientists featured in the PBS series.
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