On June 25, 1678, Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia, at the age of 32 years, became the first women in the world to receive a doctorate degree.  If there were to be a family that could most probably support the upbringing of one who would later go on to be the first women to receive such a degree, Elena was born in to that family.  Her father, Giovanni Baptista Cornaro was one of the most highly esteemed men in Venice, Italy.  Therefore, Elena started off her education as any child of a high standing family would have done: at age seven she received tutoring in Latin, Greek, grammar and music.  Later she mastered not only these subjects but Hebrew, Spanish, French and Arabic.  Obviously, she had a gift for languages, and her talents as a musician became obvious by age 17.  Her skills in reasoning were excellent.

If it were not for her father, Piscopia would not have received her doctorate degree.  He was an influential part of her education not only in starting her early education, but in deciding she should go the University of Padua, a well respected University, to continue her learning.  She studied mathematics, astronomy, philosophy and theology.  Mathematics was not her true love, but she did well in it and later went on to be a mathematics lecturer at the University of Padua.   Piscopia's love was theology and philosophy.  She did not go to the University with the interest of receiving any sort of degree, she enrolled in 1672 to continue her learning.  Her father, however decided that she should be recognized for her greatness and insisted that she apply for a Doctorate degree in theology.  Which she did, two times, since the first time her application was turned down; the Roman Catholic Church felt uncomfortable awarding a Doctorate in theology to a woman.  So, the second time she applied, they compromised and said she could apply for a Doctorate of philosophy.
 
Her exam for her Doctorate was moved to the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin, Padua, so more people could attend her exam then if it were held in the originally scheduled location.  She easily surpassed the competency for a Dr. of Philosophy.  The people in attendance were amazed at her knowledge.  She received a Doctors's ring, a teacher's ermine cape, and a poet's laurel crown.  In doing so, she became the first women to receive a doctorate.
 
Piscopia enjoyed debating, lecturing in theology, and composing music.  As mentioned, she lectured in mathematics at the University.  Scholars from around the world came to have discussions with her.  Unlike others who have contributed to mathematics, it was not her first love.
 
Other mathematicians around her time, include Takakazu Sekikow, Sir Isaac Newton, Gottfried Wilhelm Von Leibniz, and John Flamsteed.  Later in her life, Piscopia devoted her life to charity.  After a full life which began June 5, 1646, she died of Tuberculosis on July 26, 1684.  Her works were published in 1688 after her death, and in 1685 there was a medal in her honor recognizing her as a great student.

Author: maggie cooper

References:
Crocker and Howard, <http://crux.astr.ua.edu/400WS/PISCOPIA.html>, July, 11, 1997.

Theiling, Sarah, "Elena Piscopia", <http://scottlan.edu/Iriddle/women/piscopia.htm>.
WWW-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk:80/~history/Indexes/1626_1700.html.