Finnish Women Inventors:Past and Present

Statistics on Finnish women inventors

Proportion of women of all inventors from 1900's to early 21st century

6,0 %

7,0 %

Number of inventors in 1873-2008

2500

3000Inventors Women inventors

3,0 %

4,0 %

5,0 %

,

1000

1500

2000

2500

0,0 %

1,0 %

2,0 %

1900's 1910's 1920's 1930's 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000-2008

0

500

1000

18731896

19041912

19201928

19361944

19521960

19681976

19841992

20002008

Until the 1970’s, the proportional number of female

20083 6 4 2 0 8 6 4 2 0 8 6 4 2 0 8

, p pinventors remained at 1-2 % of all inventors. However, in

the 1980’s and especially in the 1990’s, both the proportional and absolute number of female inventors rose p pconsiderably. The record figure for women, 8.5%, is from

the year 2000.

Female inventors 1880-1970

Vera Hjelt

Henrika Wilhelmina (Mimmi) Bähr

Johanna Schybergsony g

Bertha Enwald

Maiju Gebhard

Inkeri Vikainen

Pirkko-Liisa Kalliomäki

Vera Hjelt (1857-1947)

Woodwork teacher Vera Hjelt was one of the very first Finnish women to patent her inventioninvention.

She designed a compact, collapsible planing bench and received a patent for it p g pin 1886.

In 1903 Hjelt was elected the first female

National Board of AntiquitiesHjelt’s life’s work did have an impact on th iti f ki

factory inspector in Finland.

National Board of AntiquitiesVera Hjelt

Photo: Atelier Nyblin,Helsinki.the position of working women: as a Member of Parliament, she was an eager advocate for them, and she conducted several studies to improveconducted several studies to improve women’s working conditions.

Henrika Wilhelmina (Mimmi) Bähr

Mimmi Bähr worked as archivist at the Economic Division of the Senate of Finland

Patents acquired by Bähr in 1893-1913

dSenate of Finland.

Also, she was a valued teacher of handwriting

- pen dryer

- envelope moistenerof handwriting.

Bähr compiled teaching material for handwriting, and developed

- excercise book for writing

two different handles

Mimmi Bähr

for handwriting, and developed writing systems and tools.

- two different handles for steel pen

Mimmi BährPress cutting, the Antell

collection

Bähr’s handwriting won a silver medailleBähr s handwriting won a silver medaille at the Paris World Fair in 1889.

Johanna Schybergson (1856-1936)

Schybergson ran a housecraft institute in Helsinki at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries

The cooking appliancecenturies. appliance National ”can be used not only as an actual cooker but also for

She closely followed the development of household technology abroad and for but also for

warmkeeping for long periods of time .”

household technology abroad and for example wrote articles about new appliances in the Martha Association’s membership magazine Emäntälehti.

In 1907 Schybergson obtained patents for two cooking devices and,

membership magazine Emäntälehti.

p g ,in 1908, for a dishwasher.

Bertha Enwald (1871-1957)

Enwald studied by dispensation as an extraordinaryEnwald studied by dispensation as an extraordinary student in the Polytechnic College’s architecture department in 1890-94: on her graduation, she was the fourth female architect in Finland. Unluckily, E ld t ith diffi lti i h d d id dEnwald met with difficulties in her career and decided to learn yet another profession.

Enwald started a new career as a drawing teacher inEnwald started a new career as a drawing teacher in 1904. She also teached handwriting, molding and handicraft.

En ald did not q it architect re totallEnwald did not quit architecture totally. She designed log summer cottages for her relatives and also pieces of furniture.

In 1927 Enwald patented ”A device for teaching perspective drawing”.

Maiju Gebhard (1896-1986)

Maiju Gebhard is probably the most famous Finnish woman inventor. She supervised the work at TTS (Työtehoseura, Work Efficiency Society) in 1944-1945, when the draining cupboard was invented.

Before TTS, Gebhard had teached at a housecraft institute and had been product demonstrator for the pSmall Farmers’ Federation.

Gebhard had better work efficiency in households at heart. She wanted to spare housewives from extra work; this

Maiju Gebhard and Hilja Lahti t thi k b k f ll

She wanted to spare housewives from extra work; this would best happen by rationalizing work and eliminating unnecessary tasks.

G bh d t d h it d tti thi iwrote this cookery book for small farmers’ wives in 1932.

Gebhard purported humanity and putting things in an order of priority. She not only aimed at technical improvements, but also wanted to clear way for new attitudes in homes.

The draining cupboard

This invention was inspired by the Swedish table-top draining rack. Maiju Gebhard’s innovation was to place a set of draining racks inside a cupboard, and to hang it over the

The need for a draining cupboard was apparent, because Gebhard had made calculations which showed that

sink: the dishes would dry there by themselves.

Gebhard had made calculations which showed that housewives spent almost 30.000 hours of their lives in washing and drying up the dishes.

The draining c pboard became more and more common inThe Foundation for Finnish Inventions has named the draining cupboard as one of the

i Fi i h i i

The draining cupboard became more and more common in Finnish kitchens since 1948. It has been improved over the years, but the basic solution is still the same.

most important Finnish inventions in the past millennium. Even today, when dishwashers do the work, draining

cupboards still prevail in Finnish kitchens. However, they never became an export product. y p p

Inkeri Vikainen (1914-1994)

Vikainen, née Laurinen, was the first female professor in pedagogics in Finland.Finland.

She noticed that teaching methods offering freedom and action gave better learning results than methods that limited children’s freedom.

Vik i t l t t b k fVikainen wrote several text books for mother tongue learning that applied her activity pedagogics theory.

”Learning jigsaw” was patented in 1951. Another patent completed it later in the 1950’s.

Pirkko-Liisa Kalliomäki (1942-2002)

Kalliomäki graduated as Licentiate in Technology in 1968 and became Doctor of Medicine in 1977.

For over a decade, she worked in the physics department at the Finnish Institute for Occupational Health before becoming CEO of a company in the

l t t d b ildi t

Kalliomäki was inventor in four patented

real estate and building sector.

inventions from 1971-1973, all concerning a new type of blood analysis equipment.

Th i ti th lt f j i tThe inventions were the result of joint development work by two families.

Modern-day Finnish women inventorsy

TOP3 – Most patents by women inventors (Finnish invention) (by the end of 2008)

1. Liisa Viikari 252. Salme Koskimies 243. Marja-Liisa Siikonen 19

European Union Woman Inventor 2007

Aino HeikkinenAino Heikkinen

Liisa ViikariLiisa Viikari

Doctor of Science (Technology) Liisa Viikari is since 2007Doctor of Science (Technology), Liisa Viikari is since 2007 Professor in Biorefineries at Helsinki University, Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology.

Previously, from 1975, she had worked at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland concentrating on industrial biotechnology, in particular basic and applied enzymologyparticular basic and applied enzymology.

Viikari has coordinated several domestic and E h j t Sh h lEuropean research projects . She has also contributed in EU’s expert groups in the field of biotechnology and bioenergy.

Liisa ViikariLiisa Viikari

For the past 25 years Viikari’s scientific interest has been in the use

I 2002 2007 Viik i h d d VTT’ t t i h j t Cl

For the past 25 years, Viikari s scientific interest has been in the use of renewable natural resources.

In 2002-2007 Viikari headed VTT’s strategic research project, Clean World, whose aim was to improve technologies for more effective use of renewable raw materials in the production of energy, fibres and chemicalsand chemicals.

Viikari has been awarded several domestic and i t ti l i h th W lt Ahl t öinternational prizes, such as the Walter Ahlström Prize 1996, and in 2001 she became first woman to receive the American Chemical Society’s Anselm Payen AwardPayen Award.

Salme KoskimiesSalme Koskimies

Since 1977 Salme Koskimies holds a Doctor of ScienceSince 1977, Salme Koskimies holds a Doctor of Science (Chemistry) degree from Brandeis University, USA.

She worked for Neste Oyj in 1981-2001 and then became senior researcher at VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.Finland.

In addition, she has been adjunct professor at both Lappeenranta University of Technology and HelsinkiLappeenranta University of Technology and Helsinki University.

Salme Koskimies

Koskimies’ patents concern: - lubricantslubricants- paper chemicals- special products for industrial chemistry

Koskimies’ patented innovations can be found in many lubricants sold at service stations, in face-creams and water-repellent papers.p p

One of her most successfull products is a synthetic lubricant invented for Neste Oy which was patented in 1987.

Many inventions by Koskimies have been developed in working groups which she has supervised.

Marja Liisa SiikonenMarja-Liisa Siikonen

Among modern day women inventors Siikonen D Sc (Technology)Among modern-day women inventors, Siikonen, D.Sc. (Technology) has obtained the biggest number of patents in recent years.

Siikonen works at Kone Plc as the leader of the People Flow Innovations team. The team’s research concentrates on ways to measure, predict and optimise people flows in buildings.measure, predict and optimise people flows in buildings.

Siikonen’s patents are a result of group work and are connected with the development of Kone’s elevator systems.

Aino HeikkinenEngineer, inventor and entrepreneur, ”woman in the world of concrete”

Having graduated as a construction engineer from Polytechnic, Heikkinen set her heart on concrete technology.

She started her career as a researcher in the Lujabetoni Group. She made several inventions and advanced to CEO level.

In 1992 Heikkinen switched to private entrepreneurship in the concrete business. She has been CEO of Fescon Oy, as well as of CT Laastit Oy which she has founded herself

Heikkinen has always been interested in research and in applying its results in practice Her decision to

as of CT Laastit Oy, which she has founded herself.

in applying its results in practice. Her decision to become an inventor dates back to her childhood.

Aino HeikkinenHeikkinen has received several patents for her inventions and many recognitions for her work

In 1989, the Ministry of Trade and Industry awarded her an Inventor Recognition Award

her work.

Sh t d ll i f th E

gfor improvements in biotechnology and recycling of peat ashes.

She was voted overall winner of the European Union Women Inventors & Innovator Awards in 2007.

European Union Woman Inventor 2007

The prize motivation says that Aino Heikkinen has developed microtechnologies which enable us to improve the properties of concrete and plaster and, p p p p ,at the same time, reduce the environmental load connected with their production.

Inventions by Finnish women in fields of technology

Patents by female inventors in 1873 - 2008 by technical section

7 %

14 %

A

Patents by female inventors in 2000-2008 by technical section

21 %

9 %

A

B

11 %

2 %

3 %

21 %

B

C

D

3 %

0 %

16 %C

D

E

13 %

%

E

F

G

H

12 %

12 %

F

G

H

For a long time, inventions by women concentrated in areas traditionally dominated by women: clothing foodstuffs household appliances and health care (section A) Chemistry

29 %H27 %

A Human necessities E Fixed constructions

women: clothing, foodstuffs, household appliances and health care (section A). Chemistry started to gain ground in the 1940’s and electrotechnology in the 1990’s.

B Performing operations, F Mechanical engineering, lightning, heating, transporting weapons, blasting engines or pumpsC Chemistry and metallurgy G PhysicsD Textiles, paper H Electricity

Patents granted to women inventors in 1873-2008 divided by technical sections (Finnish invention)

Section 1873-1919

1920–1929

1930-1939

1940-1949

1950-1959

1960-1969

1970–1979

1980-1989

1990-1999

2000-2008

A 33% 63% 64% 48% 56% 31% 37% 24% 18% 16%

B 33% 13% 6% 26% 9% 9% 21% 11% 13% 12%B 33% 13% 6% 26% 9% 9% 21% 11% 13% 12%

C 0% 0% 3% 13% 13% 31% 23% 42% 33% 27%

D 17% 19% 18% 9% 9% 6% 8% 9% 11% 12%

E 11% 0% 0% 0% 3% 9% 6% 2% 2% 0%

F 0% 0% 6% 0% 3% 3% 2% 4% 3% 3%

G 6% 6% 3% 4% 6% 11% 4% 7% 7% 9%

H 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 13% 21%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%

In the 1960’s and in recent decades, chemistry has been the area most popular among female patentees (section C). In the 1990’s and 2000’s women have begun to take more

A Human necessities E Fixed constructionsB P f i i F M h i l i i li h i h i

interest in electrotechnics, in particular information technology (section H).

B Performing operations, F Mechanical engineering, lightning, heating, transporting weapons, blasting engines or pumpsC Chemistry and metallurgy G PhysicsD Textiles, paper H Electricity

Finnish women inventors: past and presentFinnish women inventors: past and present

The relative and absolute number of women among domesticThe relative and absolute number of women among domestic inventors has increased, in particular in recent decades. However, the rate of increase has been slightly declining in the 21st century.

As the proportional number of female inventors has increased, women inventors also have found full-time jobs in industry and research institutesinstitutes.

The female inventor is no longer an individual entrepreneur-inventor, but a member of a team working on employee inventions.but a member of a team working on employee inventions.