Marie Schneiderová-Zubaníková (14 March 1900 - 11 September 1966) was a Czech civil engineer and architect. She was the first woman to qualify as a civil engineer in

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

Early life and education

Marie Zubaníková was born on 14 March 1900 in České Budějovice to Božena Zubaníková-Váňová and Bohumil Zubaník, chief engineer of the state railways in České Budějovice. On 30 June 1923, she became the first woman in

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

to graduate in

civil engineering Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads, bridges, canals, dams, airports, sewage ...

at the

Czech Technical University in Prague Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU, cs, České vysoké učení technické v Praze, ČVUT) is one of the largest university, universities in the Czech Republic with 8 faculties, and is one of the oldest institutes of technology in Centra ...

. Her degree course covered physics and chemistry, geology, meteorology and climatology, technical drawing, hydraulics, general machine science, maths, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, statics and dynamics, geodesy, building construction, road construction and earthworks, railway construction, tunnel construction, water construction and bridge construction, public law, and national economics.

Career

In 1924, through the agency of Ing. Dr. Stanislav Špaček, Marie Zubaníková was sent to the USA on an internship scheme by the Masarykovou akademií práce (Masaryk Academy of Labour), the first woman engineer to do so. She sailed to the United States on 24 June 1924 on the ship Leviathan from French port in Cherbourgh, and arrived in New York on 30 June 1924. Between 1925 and 1929, Marie Zubaníková worked as a designer and structural engineer in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

for the Architectural Department at Sears Roebuck. She worked on a large project for a new factory in the port district of New York-New Jersey, working out calculations to strengthen the concrete structure. Whilst in Chicago she attended lectures on

advertising Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a product or service. Advertising aims to put a product or service in the spotlight in hopes of drawing it attention from consumers. It is typically used to promote a ...

economics Economics () is the social science that studies the Production (economics), production, distribution (economics), distribution, and Consumption (economics), consumption of goods and services. Economics focuses on the behaviour and intera ...

and

accounting Accounting, also known as accountancy, is the measurement, processing, and communication of financial and non financial information about economic entities such as businesses and corporations. Accounting, which has been called the "languag ...

at the Technical University. During her internship she published professional articles on issues facing women in America, covering subject such as women's work in factories, women in engineering, public life and policy. On 8 January 1928, she was elected vice-president of the American Association of Czechoslovak Engineers in Chicago, where she met its chairman, Ing. Dr. Josef Schneider, visiting professor at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

visiting from her alma mater, the Czech Technical University in Prague. They went on to marry and she expanded her name to Marie Schneiderová-Zubaníková. In 1929 Marie Schneiderová-Zubaníková returned to the Czechoslovak Republic, where she was appointed technical advisor to

Alice Masaryková Alice Masaryková or Alice Garrigue Masaryk (3 May 1879 – 29 November 1966) was a Czech teacher, sociologist and politician. She is a prominent figure within the field of applied sociology and known to many as the daughter of Tomáš Garrigue ...

, political campaigner and chairwoman of the Czech

Red Cross The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...

. Schneiderová-Zubaníková worked as the head of housing hygiene at the Institute of Public Health in

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 million people. The city has a temperate ...

for the next few years. Schneiderová-Zubaníková was interested in improving household efficiency. On 8 July 1930 she filed a patent for a mobile washing table. She was a member of Chicago Female Architect ́s Club, a member of

American Association of University Women The American Association of University Women (AAUW), officially founded in 1881, is a non-profit organization that advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. The organization has a nationwide network of 170,000 ...

, a member of

National Geographic Society The National Geographic Society (NGS), headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational organizations in the world. Founded in 1888, its interests include geography, archaeology, and ...

and a member of Czechoslovakia Engineers Institute (SIA).

Personal life

In 1938 or 1939 Marie Schneiderová-Zubaníková returned to the US with her husband to avoid the increasing turbulence in Czechoslovakia, and settled temporarily in

Bata Shoe The Bata Corporation (known as Bata, and in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, known as Baťa) is a Multinational corporation, multinational footwear, apparel and fashion accessories manufacturer and retailer of Moravian (Czech) origin, headquarte ...

Village, in

Belcamp, Maryland Riverside is a census-designated place (CDP) in Harford County, Maryland, United States. The population was 6,425 at the 2010 census. The term "Riverside" is generally used interchangeably with "Belcamp"; both names are accepted for the U.S. Postal ...

where there was a large Czech population. When Josef Schneider became a teacher at Madison College in Harrisburg, Virginia, so they moved there. Schneiderová-Zubaníková enjoyed travelling, across the USA, India and Europe. She was an excellent pianist and violinist, and enjoyed sport, especially tennis and horseriding. Marie Schneiderová-Zubaníková died on 11 September 1966 in

Chevy Chase Cornelius Crane "Chevy" Chase (; born October 8, 1943) is an American comedian, actor and writer. He became a key cast member in the first season of ''Saturday Night Live'', where his recurring ''Weekend Update'' segment became a staple of the ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

Publications

She published over 30 articles * ''Racionální plán bytu a domácnosti (Rational plan of the apartment and household)'' * ''Hygiena bydlení (Housing hygiene)'' * ''Nejmenší byty (The smallest apartments)'' * ''Americké rodinné domky a zahrádky (American family homes and gardens)'' * ''Vytápění rodinných domků (Heating of family houses)'' * ''Racionální odstraňování odpadků (Rational waste disposal)'' * ''Americká stadia (American Stadia)'' * ''Americké mrakodrapy (American skyscrapers)''

References

External links

Portrét Ing. Mary Schneiderové-Zubaníkové

Soupis pražského obyvatelstva: Josef Schneider

Kniha narozených: Josef Schneider
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schneiderová-Zubaníková, Marie 1966 deaths 1900 births Czech Technical University in Prague alumni Czech architects Articles with VIAF identifiers Articles with NKC identifiers Czech civil engineers American civil engineers Czech women architects American women engineers People from České Budějovice People from České Budějovice District