Marie Curie’s thinking strategies

As an extraordinary scientist, Marie Curie relied on three key strategies to understand the world, make decisions, collaborate with others, and explore new ideas.

• She embraced the unknown. Curie challenged widely-held beliefs and later proved her position.
• Making radical bets on herself. When Pierre Curie, her husband and lab partner, unexpectedly died, she did not step down from the lab as colleagues expected but stayed at the university, Sorbonne, and took over the lab herself.
• Sharing her ideas. Marie Curie would work with anyone interested in radiation, including people in healthcare.