Finnish Women Inventors:
Past and Present
Statistics on Finnish women inventors
Number of inventors in 1873-2008
Inventors
Proportion of women of all inventors
from 1900's to early 21st century
Women inventors
3000
7,0 %
6,0
, %
2500
5,0 %
2000
4,0 %
1500
3,0 %
1000
2,0 %
500
1,0 %
0,0 %
0
18
73
18
96
19
04
19
12
19
20
19
28
19
36
19
44
19
52
19
60
19
68
19
76
19
84
19
92
20
00
20
08
1900's
1910's
1920's
1930's
1940's
1950's
1960's
Until the 1970’s,, the proportional
p p
number of female
inventors remained at 1-2 % of all inventors. However, in
the 1980’s and especially in the 1990’s, both the
proportional
p
p
and absolute number of female inventors rose
considerably. The record figure for women, 8.5%, is from
the year 2000.
1970's
1980's
1990's
20002008
Female inventors 1880-1970
Vera Hjelt
Henrika Wilhelmina (Mimmi) Bähr
y
g
Johanna Schybergson
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
invention.
invention
She designed a compact, collapsible
planing
p
g bench and received a p
patent for it
in 1886.
In 1903 Hjelt was elected the first female
factory inspector in Finland.
Hjelt’s life’s work did have an impact on
th position
the
iti off working
ki women: as a
Member of Parliament, she was an
eager advocate for them, and she
conducted several studies to improve
women’s working conditions.
National Board of Antiquities
Vera Hjelt
Photo: Atelier Nyblin,Helsinki.
Henrika Wilhelmina (Mimmi) Bähr
Patents acquired by Bähr
in 1893-1913
Mimmi Bähr worked as archivist
at the Economic Division of the
Senate of Finland.
Finland
- pen dryer
d
Also, she was a valued teacher
of handwriting.
handwriting
- envelope moistener
- excercise book for writing
Bähr compiled teaching material
for handwriting, and developed
writing systems and tools.
- two different handles
for steel pen
Mimmi Bähr
Press cutting, the Antell
collection
Bähr s handwriting won a silver medaille
Bähr’s
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
centuries.
She closely followed the development of
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
p
g devices and,,
in 1908, for a dishwasher.
The cooking
appliance
National ”can be
used not only as
an actual cooker
but also for
warmkeeping for
long periods of
time .”
Bertha Enwald (1871-1957)
Enwald 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
Enwald
ld mett with
ith diffi
difficulties
lti iin h
her career and
dd
decided
id d
to learn yet another profession.
Enwald started a new career as a drawing teacher in
1904. She also teached handwriting, molding and
handicraft.
Enwald
En
ald did not quit
q it architecture
architect re totall
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 p
product demonstrator for the
Small Farmers’ Federation.
Gebhard had better work efficiency in households at heart.
She wanted to spare housewives from extra work; this
would best happen by rationalizing work and eliminating
unnecessary tasks.
Maiju Gebhard and Hilja Lahti
wrote
t this
thi cookery
k
book
b k ffor smallll
farmers’ wives in 1932.
Gebhard
G
bh d purported
t dh
humanity
it and
d putting
tti thi
things iin 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
sink: the dishes would dry there by themselves.
The need for a draining cupboard was apparent, because
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 ccupboard
pboard 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.
Even today, when dishwashers do the work, draining
cupboards still prevail in Finnish kitchens. However,
theyy never became an export
p p
product.
The Foundation for Finnish
Inventions has named the
draining cupboard as one of the
most important
i
Fi
Finnish
i h iinventions
i
in the past millennium.
Inkeri Vikainen (1914-1994)
Vikainen, née Laurinen, was the first
female professor in pedagogics in
Finland.
She noticed that teaching methods
offering freedom and action gave better
learning results than methods that
limited children’s freedom.
Vikainen
Vik
i
wrote
t severall ttextt books
b k ffor
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
reall estate
t t and
db
building
ildi sector.
t
Kalliomäki was inventor in four patented
inventions from 1971-1973, all concerning a
new type of blood analysis equipment.
The inventions
Th
i
ti
were th
the result
lt off joint
j i t
development work by two families.
Modern-day
y Finnish women inventors
TOP3 – Most patents by women inventors (Finnish invention)
(by the end of 2008)
1. Liisa Viikari 25
2. Salme Koskimies 24
3. Marja-Liisa Siikonen 19
European Union Woman Inventor 2007
Aino Heikkinen
Liisa Viikari
Doctor of Science (Technology)
(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 enzymology
enzymology.
Viikari has coordinated several domestic and
E
European
research
h projects
j t . She
Sh has
h also
l
contributed in EU’s expert groups in the field of
biotechnology and bioenergy.
Liisa Viikari
For the past 25 years,
years Viikari’s
Viikari s scientific interest has been in the use
of renewable natural resources.
IIn 2002-2007
2002 2007 Viik
Viikarii headed
h d d VTT’s
VTT’ strategic
t t i research
h project,
j t Clean
Cl
World, whose aim was to improve technologies for more effective
use of renewable raw materials in the production of energy, fibres
and chemicals.
chemicals
Viikari has been awarded several domestic and
i t
international
ti
l prizes,
i
such
h as the
th Walter
W lt Ahlström
Ahl t ö
Prize 1996, and in 2001 she became first woman to
receive the American Chemical Society’s Anselm
Payen Award
Award.
Salme Koskimies
Since 1977,
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.
In addition, she has been adjunct professor at both
Lappeenranta University of Technology and Helsinki
University.
Salme Koskimies
Koskimies’ patents concern:
- lubricants
- 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
p p
papers.
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 Siikonen
Marja-Liisa
Among modern-day
modern day women inventors
inventors, Siikonen
Siikonen, D.Sc.
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.
Siikonen’s patents are a result of group work and are
connected with the development of Kone’s elevator
systems.
Aino Heikkinen
Engineer, 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
Oy, which she has founded herself.
herself
Heikkinen has always been interested in research and
in applying its results in practice.
practice Her decision to
become an inventor dates back to her childhood.
Aino Heikkinen
Heikkinen has received several patents for
her inventions and many recognitions for
her work.
work
In 1989, the Ministry of Trade and Industry
awarded her an Inventor Recognition
g
Award
for improvements in biotechnology and
recycling of peat ashes.
She was voted
Sh
t d overall
ll winner
i
off the
th European
E
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
p
the properties
p p
of concrete and plaster
p
and,,
improve
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 2000-2008 by technical section
Patents by female inventors
in 1873 - 2008 by technical section
21 %
A
14 %
A
7%
B
B
16 %
C
2%
3%
21 %
C
D
D
9%
3%
0%
11 %
E
12 %
E
F
F
12 %
G
G
H
13 %
29 %
H
27 %
For a long time, inventions by women concentrated in areas traditionally dominated by
women: clothing,
clothing foodstuffs,
foodstuffs household appliances and health care (section A)
A). Chemistry
started to gain ground in the 1940’s and electrotechnology in the 1990’s.
A Human necessities
B Performing operations,
transporting
C Chemistry and metallurgy
D Textiles, paper
E Fixed constructions
F Mechanical engineering, lightning, heating,
weapons, blasting engines or pumps
G Physics
H Electricity
Patents granted to women inventors in 1873-2008
divided by technical sections (Finnish invention)
Section
18731919
1920–
1929
19301939
19401949
19501959
19601969
1970–
1979
19801989
19901999
20002008
A
33%
63%
64%
48%
56%
31%
37%
24%
18%
16%
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
interest in electrotechnics, in particular information technology (section H).
A Human necessities
BP
Performing
f
i
operations,
i
transporting
C Chemistry and metallurgy
D Textiles, paper
E Fixed constructions
F Mechanical
M h i l engineering,
i
i
lightning,
li h i
heating,
h i
weapons, blasting engines or pumps
G Physics
H Electricity
Finnish women inventors: past and present
The 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
institutes.
institutes
The female inventor is no longer an individual entrepreneur-inventor,
but a member of a team working on employee inventions.