Irja Klemola (1898–1995)

Irja Klemola, born in Finland, studied mathematics, physics, and chemistry at the University of Helsinki. She taught at a girls' school in Turku, and was the vice principal from 1927 to 1939 and then rector from 1939 to 1959. For many years, she served as the secretary of the society for amateur astronomers, which she helped found, and frequently participated in the minor planet program at the Turku Observatory. The asteroid Klemola, discovered in 1936 at Turku, was named in her honor. She also was an Esperanto enthusiast and after her retirement, served as chair of the Finnish Esperanto Association in 1966-1973. She wrote several books for children as well as two Esperanto textbooks published in the 1980s.