Mária Telkes, Hungarian-American biophysicist and chemist (b. 1900)
Mária Telkes (December 12, 1900 – December 2, 1995) was a Hungarian-American biophysicist, scientist and inventor who worked on solar energy technologies.

Telkes is considered one of the founders of solar thermal storage systems, earning her the nickname The Sun Queen.Telkes was a prolific inventor of practical thermal devices, including a miniature desalination unit (solar still) for use on lifeboats, which used solar power and condensation to collect potable water. The still saved the lives of airmen and sailors who would have been without water when abandoned at sea. Over the course of her career, Telkes earned more than 20 patents, including one for a functional solar oven.