Saruhashi Katsuko (1920–2007) was a pioneering Japanese geochemist and the first woman to earn a doctorate in science from the University of Tokyo. Her research on radioactive fallout in oceans and the atmosphere transformed understanding of global pollution. During World War II, she worked at the Central Meteorological Observatory, studying polonium, inspired by Marie Curie. Her research on radioactive carbon in seawater led to new methods for measuring ocean circulation, later proving how nuclear fallout spread through ocean currents. In 1954, after the Lucky Dragon V nuclear fallout incident, she showed how radioactive particles from nuclear tests reached Japan via wind and water currents. She later worked with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, refining ocean monitoring techniques. An advocate for gender equality in science, she founded the Saruhashi Prize in 1980 to recognize female scientists. Her legacy continues to inspire women in STEM.
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