The first woman to receive a doctorate from MIT was Mary Whiton Calkins. Pursuing her studies in psychology, she overcame significant obstacles, including gender discrimination, to achieve her academic goals. Despite her accomplishments, she was not granted a formal degree from MIT due to discriminatory policies at the time. Calkins’ work focused on psychology and the development of the self, leaving a lasting impact on the field, and her achievements paved the way for future women in academia.