Maria Kovalevskaya was a pioneering Russian mathematician born on January 15, 1850. She is best known for her work in analysis, differential equations, and mechanics. Kovalevskaya was the first woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics in modern Europe, achieving this milestone in 1874 from the University of Göttingen in Germany. In addition to her mathematical contributions, Kovalevskaya was also a notable advocate for women's education and rights. She published several important papers and became the first woman to hold a professorship in mathematics at a European university, specifically at the University of Stockholm in Sweden.