Maria Montessori (August 31, 1870 - May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician and educator, a noted humanitarian and devout Roman Catholic. After being the first woman to graduate in medicine from the University of Rome, Montessori worked with mentally handicapped children and then as a teacher in various universities. Her research into philosophy and child development led her to develop the Montessori method of education, which assumes that children learn best by interacting with concrete materials. She spent her life promoting her methods through her writing and teaching. She was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. She died in 1952 of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of 81.