Mastodawn

Happy Women in Maths Day! 🥳 🎊 🙌 Today we celebrate all the incredible women like Maryam Mirzakhani that paved the way for new generations and everyone who supports women in maths today!
Here we‘ve got six tips for you how to spend the day reading about inspiring women:
1. Check out this Plus magazine article about Maryam Mirzhakani's work - https://plus.maths.org/content/mm
2. Mathematical Association of America News on the European Girls' Math Olympiad - https://maa.org/news/us-team-earns-2nd-place-at-2025-european-girls-mathematical-olympiad/
3. Ingrid Daubechies, mathematician from Duke University offered special tours of "Mathemalchemy", a traveling multimedia math-meets-art installation - https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/science/mathematics-daubechies-mathemalchemy.html (https://mathemalchemy.org/about/)
4. Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize 2025 awarded to 3 outstanding women mathematicians, Si Ying Lee, Rajula Srivastava and Ewin Tang - https://breakthroughprize.org/News/91
5. International prize in Statistics awarded to Grace Wahba this year - https://imstat.org/2025/04/02/2025-international-prize-in-statistics-winner/
6. Science News Explores covering the fascinating math journey of Angela Tabiri (Her Maths Story, Alumni) on becoming 2024's world's most interesting mathematician - https://www.snexplores.org/article/worlds-most-interesting-mathematician (also check out her story on our website)
#womeninmaths #womeninstem #celebratewomen #mathsisbeautiful #womeninscience #hermathsstory

Maryam Mirzakhani: counting curves

Maryam Mirzakhani is being honoured for her "rare combination of superb technical ability, bold ambition, far-reaching vision, and deep curiosity".

Plus Maths

Her Maths Story Apr 23

“Of course, at the end of the day it’s all about hard work, determination and family support —but sometimes, it’s also about that one email that changes everything in your life.” - Kateryna Marynets

➡️ https://hermathsstory.eu/kateryna-marynets/

#FractionalDifferentialEquations #WomenInMaths #HerMathsStory

Kateryna Marynets

Born in Uzhhorod, Ukraine • Birth year 1988 • Studied Applied Mathematics at Uzhhorod National University in Ukraine • Highest Degree PhD in Differential Equations from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv in Ukraine • Lives in Delft, The Netherlands • Occupation Assistant Professor in Applied Mathematics at Delft Institute of Applied Mathematics, Delft University of Technology 4 countries, 5 languages, and 1 mathematics… Was it my big dream to pursue a career as a math professor? No, it wasn’t. In fact, when our primary school teacher asked who we wanted to become in the future, I said that I wanted to be a pediatrician. But that was only because my parents are doctors, and my grandmother was leading the children's department in the hospital at that time. To be honest, medicine has never been my thing—but as a kid, you tend to take on the role models you see around you. And I wasn’t an exception. Many years have passed, and mathematics and languages have become inseparable parts of my life. In Ukraine, we say that children inherit the talents of their grandparents. And with my grandparents working in the fields of physics and mathematics, following that logic, I was probably predestined for these directions. Interestingly enough, those were indeed my favorite subjects at school. I really enjoyed solving math puzzles and diving into the laws of physics. I was extremely lucky to have great teachers who recognized my interest and kept me engaged by offering challenging problems—even though my school had a linguistic focus, and the sciences didn’t occupy much of our curriculum. Many years have passed, and mathematics and languages have become inseparable parts of my life. Those seemingly different disciplines have a lot in common: languages help in sharing my mathematical expertise to a multilingual community, and logical thinking, developed through solving mathematical problems, helps in mastering a new language. Obtaining a PhD brought new opportunities, but it also came with a lot of pressure—pressure to deliver, pressure not to disappoint. The path to my current position was long and quite “nonlinear”—just like the math problems I work on. In my last year of high school, I seriously considered studying international economic relations, with applied mathematics as a second option. It was the study program where I could combine my passion for mathematics and foreign languages. But in the end, I chose applied mathematics, and I’ve never regretted the decision I made.After graduation, I was offered a teaching position at my home university, which I combined with enrollment in a doctoral program. I studied boundary value problems for systems of nonlinear differential equations and developed iterative methods for approximating their solutions. It was a great combination of analysis and work with mathematical software—something I still enjoy doing. Back then, I could conduct research at my home institution but had to defend my thesis at a different university. I still remember all those trips to Kyiv, accompanied by my parents, who helped me organize everything…I am incredibly thankful for all their patience and time that they have invested.Obtaining a PhD brought new opportunities, but it also came with a lot of pressure—pressure to deliver, pressure not to disappoint. Since then, sports has become my first aid when I feel overwhelmed and need to change my focus during the intense periods at work. [Fractional differential] equations are broadly used in porous media modeling and systems with memory After graduation, and having 3 languages ‘in my pocket’, I continued teaching at my home university for a couple of years but felt an urgent need for change. I seriously considered switching to industry and even received an offer from an IT company, but something held me back. Around that time, I won an individual grant for a short-term research stay in Slovakia, where I was introduced to a new field—fractional differential equations. These equations are broadly used in porous media modeling and systems with memory. Moreover, they are able to capture more complex dynamics of a physical system in comparison to their integer-order counterparts. Back then it was still a completely unfamiliar topic for me, something I had never worked on before, but it eventually became part of my current research profile. My time in Bratislava was a period of reflection, and it gave me the motivation to continue pursuing an academic career. I saw many opportunities that European universities offered and started applying for postdocs. Among all the negative responses and unanswered emails, there was one that changed my life. I got a postdoc position in Vienna, which I still consider my biggest achievement to date. It might sound silly but moving from Uzhhorod, that is by the way famous for its Japanese cherry blossom, to join one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in Austria was something I couldn’t have even dreamed of! During my postdoc, I explored real-world applications of differential equations by analyzing mathematical models related to ocean and atmospheric circulation During my postdoc, I explored real-world applications of differential equations by analyzing mathematical models related to ocean and atmospheric circulation. I was fascinated by the opportunity to apply my mathematical training to real-world phenomena, expanding my knowledge beyond purely theoretical research. As time passed and my postdoc was nearing its end, I realized I needed something more permanent. And again, I stood at a crossroads: should I switch to industry and stay in Austria with my partner, or pursue a career in academia but accept the fact that I would likely have to move to a third country within the last three years? I know many couples for whom cross-country moves didn’t work out, and in the meantime I was already fluent in German and had good chances on the Austrian labor market. Luckily, my partner was incredibly supportive, and when I got an offer from TU Delft, he did everything he could to make my decision easier. And here we are. Five and a half years after moving, I’m now a tenured assistant professor at one of the best universities in the Netherlands, developing my own research line in nonlinear (fractional) differential equations with applications in geosciences, speaking my fifth language, and making future plans with my husband. Time has sorted out everything, and despite all difficulties I feel that I am in the right place. Of course, at the end of the day it’s all about hard work, determination and family support —but sometimes, it’s also about that one email that changes everything in your life. Published on April 23, 2025. Photo credit: Kateryna Marynets

Her Maths Story Apr 9

“Perhaps my farm experience helped me to be good at math (...) as my classmates and I moved through high school, my female math ability seemed to make people turn away from me. (...) My teacher (...) was a (...) supportive example of ‘girls can do math’.” - JoAnne Growney

➡️https://hermathsstory.eu/joanne-growney/

#Academia #PhD #Professor #MathematicalPoetry #WomenInMaths #WomenInSTEM #HerMathsStory #Teaching

JoAnne Growney

Born in rural Pennsylvania in 1940 • Studied PhD in Mathematics at University of Oklahoma, United States • Lives in United States • Occupation Taught mathematics at Bloomsburg (PA) University (now part of Commonwealth University); now retired Before I was a math girl, I was a farm girl – the oldest of three children growing up on a farm in Pennsylvania -- the one who went to the barn with her father while her mother took care of the little ones. Math (often numbers and counting) was an inconspicuous but central part of farming – counting eggs as I collected them from beneath the hens, counting the sheep as they came into shelter at night to make sure that none had drifted away. Geometric quantities also were important – the volumes of harvested grains and fruit, the distances between parallel rows of corn, the gallons of milk expected from our Guernsey cow which I milked morning and evening. My teacher, a graduate of an elite college and unashamed of her math ability, was an energetic and supportive example of “girls can do math.” Perhaps my farm experience helped me to be good at math – and that skill seemed fine in elementary school years but as my classmates and I moved through high school my female math ability seemed to make people turn away from me. In my senior year, I was one of only three girls in my math classes. BUT that year I also had an inspiring experience. My teacher, a graduate of an elite college and unashamed of her math ability, was an energetic and supportive example of “girls can do math.” Receipt of a scholarship from Westminster College in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, enabled me to go away from home to continue my education. (To my dismay, at Westminster I had several “only girl in the class” experiences.) I started out as a chemistry major but, during my sophomore year. I learned that my “science scholarship” could be used toward a math major and then (preferring math to chemistry) I switched, combining studies of math with secondary education. AND I took creative writing courses and had work published in the campus literary journal. In those days (early 1960’s), many jobs were not available to women – but teaching was. Graduation from Westminster led to marriage, to secondary school teaching in the Philadelphia area, to evening graduate classes at Temple University – from which I obtained an MA in Mathematics. My husband (Wallace/Wally) – who had studied physics and math and a bit of computer science – took a job at Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, PA. I did some part-time teaching at Susquehanna and at nearby Bucknell – but soon we moved to Norman, Oklahoma where Wally would pursue a doctorate so that he could qualify for tenure at Susquehanna. While we were in Oklahoma, with lots of time on my hands, I was able to attain a teaching assistantship and continue my studies also. One of the requirements for mathematics professors at Bloomsburg University was to teach “general education” courses for non-majors and this experience led me to write and publish a textbook entitled Mathematics in Daily Life – a book containing material that engaged students in mathematical reasoning related to counting, voting, travel, decision-making, and other frequent concerns. Graduate school brought complications to our marriage. In our earlier studies, I had gotten better grades but we credited it to his sports and fraternity activities – AND, I studied more carefully. But at The University of Oklahoma, it became evident that I was the better student and, eventually, that caused stress for both of us. I became his helper. We studied together. During our work on dissertations, I became pregnant. When our doctoral studies were completed, we returned to Pennsylvania, bringing with us a baby daughter. I secured a tenure-track position at nearby Bloomsburg State College (now part of Commonwealth University). AND I was able to keep my on-campus schedule to three days per week and to find excellent child care; our care-giver, Erma, was loving and dependable. Our family grew with another childbirth and two adoptions. Keeping busy helped our marriage survive but over time we began to recognize that things weren’t working and weren’t repairable. This eventually led to divorce and to me and the kids moving to the town of Bloomsburg (and to me avoiding the 30-mile commute). My time in Bloomsburg involved congenial colleagues, a great neighborhood – a safe place for my children even if I was not with them and walk-to schools. When my children grew up – and left home for college and marriage and . . . I found time to revive my childhood interest (begun as a child reading Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses) to poetry. One of my favorite poems celebrates the mathematician, Amalie Emmy Noether; it’s title is “My Dance is Mathematics” One of the requirements for mathematics professors at Bloomsburg University was to teach “general education” courses for non-majors and this experience led me to write and publish a textbook entitled Mathematics in Daily Life – a book containing material that engaged students in mathematical reasoning related to counting, voting, travel, decision-making, and other frequent concerns. Work on this project and -- even more so -- my interest in poetry drew me into connections with other colleagues (in English and Philosophy and . . . and I gradually began to participate in poetry events and publication in addition to my math-related activities. Writing poetry was an activity that I much enjoyed – and many of my poems incorporate mathematical ideas. One of my favorite poems celebrates the mathematician, Amalie Emmy Noether; it’s title is “My Dance is Mathematics” and it is available online at this link: https://joannegrowney.com/ChapbookMyDance.html ; here is its opening stanza: They called you der Noether, as if mathematics was only for men. In 1964, nearly thirty years past your death, at last I saw you in a spotlight, in a World’s Fair mural, “Men of Modern Mathematics.” Once my kids were grown – and using some funds inherited from a great aunt – I began to engage in travel-related math-and-poetry activities. Via “Teachers for Tomorrow” – a non-profit organized by one of my high school friends – I spent part of several summers teaching (math and poetry and English conversation) – in India and in Romania. A few years into retirement, I moved south to the Washington, DC area where three of my four children were living with their young families. And I am still here! More can be learned about me at my website: https://joannegrowney.com. In 2010 I began to write a blog entitled “Intersections – Poetry with Mathematics” (found at https://poetrywithmathematics.blogspot.com/) – and, with more than 1600 posts so far, my blogging continues. My own thought processes seem to follow the rule that “everything connects” – and this article shares some related ideas: https://joannegrowney.com/Everything-Connects--JMA-Growney-26June2020.pdf THANK YOU for reading! I hope you also enjoy math and poetry and their connections! Image credit: Diann Growney Harrity

Her Maths Story Mar 26

“My PhD was all about understanding what happens to blood flow in collapsible blood vessels like the giraffe jugular vein. In my postdoc I was investigating how to optimise ventilator settings for patients in ICU and then how to deliver inhaled therapies into the lungs. Since then, my focus has been in trying to understand how diseases like Asthma and other respiratory diseases originate and then progress. This involves incorporating biology and physics into mathematical and computational models, using approaches from different areas of applied maths. More recently I have started to look into the mechanisms that could lead to a rare lung disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and Long Covid.” - Bindi Brook

➡️ https://hermathsstory.eu/bindi-brook/

#Academia #PhD #Professor #AppliedMathematics #MathematicalBiology #MathematicalMedicine #UnconsciousBias #WomenInMaths #WomenInSTEM #HerMathsStory

Bindi Brook

Born in Nairobi, Kenya • Studied Mathematics at the University of Leeds • Highest Degree PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Leeds • Lives in the UK • Occupation Professor of Mathematical Medicine and Biology at the University of Nottingham When I think back to school days, my sense is that I’ve always enjoyed mathematics. But there is one particular memory that is contrary to that. I was around 10 years old and had been finding most of the “maths” we did quite easy. Then some combination of factors (teacher, specific content) brought a sudden loss of confidence. I could not get my head around what we were being taught and I thought that was it – that I did not like maths anymore. My dad decided I was being silly (thankfully) and worked through some examples with me, every night, for about a week. By the end of it, my temporary lack of confidence had gone and ever since then I have really enjoyed some form of maths (here one can read – NOT pure maths). In fact, whenever I couldn’t make a decision about what I wanted to do next (at the end of A-levels, at the end of my undergraduate degree) I just picked the thing I enjoyed the most (maths and then applied maths) and went with it. I come from a South Asian culture where, if you’re considered “able”, you’re expected to study Medicine. That wasn’t for me – I really did not like remembering lots of facts and much preferred the problem-solving needed for studying maths. (...) I have started to look into the mechanisms that could lead to a rare lung disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and Long Covid. In an interesting twist though, in my research career, I have essentially specialised in applying mathematics to biological and medical problems! My PhD was all about understanding what happens to blood flow in collapsible blood vessels like the giraffe jugular vein. In my postdoc I was investigating how to optimise ventilator settings for patients in ICU and then how to deliver inhaled therapies into the lungs. Since then, my focus has been in trying to understand how diseases like Asthma and other respiratory diseases originate and then progress. This involves incorporating biology and physics into mathematical and computational models, using approaches from different areas of applied maths. More recently I have started to look into the mechanisms that could lead to a rare lung disease called lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and Long Covid. Although I am now a Professor and have spent much of my working life in academia, I took a somewhat torturous path getting there and could have picked a different route a number of times. Immediately after my PhD I worked for a credit card company, applying statistical models in a somewhat robotic fashion. There was no problem-solving involved and within 3 months I knew I could not stay and 3 months later started a postdoc in Sheffield. Towards the end of my postdoc I had my first daughter and worked part-time to complete it after which I decided I would just take time out to look after her. Two years later I had my second daughter. Throughout my career, I have had some fantastic mentors (both women and men) who guided me through some tough times. These included workplace bullying and discrimination (as a woman of colour) and I have had to work hard to overcome these hurdles. When my second daughter was around 2 years old I was starting to consider alternative careers to academia (I felt I had been out of it too long, hadn’t written up my postdoc work into peer-reviewed papers, etc) when I got a phone call from a previous academic colleague from the University of Nottingham asking if I would be interested in covering his teaching part-time, as he was taking a sabbatical. I took up this offer and continued to teach and work part-time until I felt my daughters were old enough for me to consider getting back into research. I applied for and was awarded a fantastic “return-to-research” Daphne Jackson Fellowship which allowed me to restart my research on a part-time basis and also write up some of my postdoc work. I will be eternally grateful for this opportunity, as it allowed me to start my research in asthma, build up a network of collaborators and eventually my first MRC grant. The other most important thing that made all this possible is my amazing, hugely supportive, parents who helped look after my daughters for many years. Throughout my career, I have had some fantastic mentors (both women and men) who guided me through some tough times. These included workplace bullying and discrimination (as a woman of colour) and I have had to work hard to overcome these hurdles. Unfortunately, these things still exist. More recently (in my case) these have been more in the form of unconscious bias rather than overt. And significant efforts are being made to address these issues in my School. I try to contribute the best I can with these efforts. Nonetheless, it does mean that I regularly have to sit back and ask if it’s worth it. The answer isn’t an easy “yes”, not just for the above reasons but also because of the way higher education is going these days in terms of massive budget cuts and increased bureaucracy. On the positive side, I work with wonderful friends and colleagues, on worthwhile research problems, and great students.

Her Maths Story Mar 14

This beautiful crocheted Richmond minimal surface - crafted by Hanne Kekkonen (who we had the honour to feature already: 📖 https://hermathsstory.eu/hanne-kekkonen/) and featured in [📄] - is a perfect example of how mathematics and arts intertwine.

And what better occasion to celebrate this than Pi Day - the International Day of Mathematics? This year’s theme “Mathematics, Art, and Creativity” highlights how maths shapes the world around us in unexpected and artistic ways.

Want to explore more? Here are five fascinating reads on π, where we rate the maths proficiency level from 🟡 (suitable for everyone) to 🔴 (for maths geeks):

🟡 Pi, explained! https://www.snexplores.org/article/lets-learn-about-pi
What is pi, and why does it pop up everywhere? A beginner-friendly dive into the world’s most famous irrational number.

🟠 When maths meets arts https://www.snexplores.org/article/math-is-muse-for-these-artists
From sculptures to paintings - how artists use mathematical ideas to create stunning works

🟠 How pi took over the world https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/math/g26630324/what-is-pi/
A whirlwind history of pi, from ancient times to cutting-edge research.

🟠 7 maths facts that will blow your mind https://www.newscientist.com/article/2418890-these-7-mathematical-facts-will-blow-your-mind/
Pi is just the beginning - get ready for some mind-bending maths!

🔴 Pi and... string theory?! https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/string-theorists-accidentally-find-a-new-formula-for-pi/
Physicists accidentally discovered a new formula for pi - while working on the universe’s deepest mysteries.

Maths is everywhere - sometimes even in yarn! 🧶💙 #PiDay #InternationalDayOfMathematics #IDM #MathsArt #WomenInMaths #HerMathsStory

[📄] Kekkonen, H. (2024). Crocheting Bour’s Minimal Surfaces. Mathematical Intelligencer, 46(4), 306-312. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00283-023-10314-1

Hanne Kekkonen

Born in Helsinki, Finland • Birth year 1987 • Studied Mathematics at University of Helsinki in Finland • Highest Degree PhD in Mathematics • Lives in Delft, Netherlands • Occupation Assistant Professor I was definitely not one of those scientists who showed exceptional talent from a very young age. As a child I was filled with endless curiosity about everything, but sitting still in front of a desk was not one of my strongest skills. In fact, I was rather bad at school, often arriving late because I had found a frog or wandered off after a hedgehog. I did my very best to study for exams but this did not seem to translate to good grades. I kept trying and by the time I started secondary school I finally got the hang of it. I was warned that when you move from secondary school to high school, and later from high school to university, classes become more difficult but I never really experienced this because I had always had to study for the exams. I had also learned that if I couldn't solve a problem it just meant that I had to try harder, not that the problem was too hard. I only realised later how lucky I was to have learned proper studying techniques already as a kid. I like knowing that mathematics has many applications but I have always been mostly interested in the theoretical parts and loved the pureness of mathematics. I never had anything against mathematics (other than mental arithmetic which I'm still very bad at) but I only really got interested in it at high school. At high school maths problems are like puzzles you have to solve using given rules and tricks. In university the emphasis changed and the weight was more on understanding where those rules and tricks come from and why they are true. I like knowing that mathematics has many applications but I have always been mostly interested in the theoretical parts and loved the pureness of mathematics. It is the only field where questions have indisputably correct answers and where the trueness of a statement can properly be proved. I have to admit that I didn't really think too much about what I would do after I got my Master's degree. Throughout my studies I was told that there was a shortage of skilled mathematicians at the job market but there seemed to be a big gap between what I had learned at the university and what was needed in the real world. Thankfully, my Master's degree advisor suggested that I should apply for one of the open PhD positions in the Inverse Problems group at the University of Helsinki, where I was doing my Master’s degree. Starting the PhD was the biggest shock in my studies. Even though the exercises at university were much longer and more complicated than the ones at high school, they always had a clear answer, even if I couldn't find it. But when I started to do research, I had to get used to the idea that no one knew the answers to many problems I encountered or even if they could be solved. Also, instead of following well-structured courses, where I usually had at least some idea on what was going on, I was now attending several seminars about topics I had hardly even heard of. I was feeling really uncertain about my skills and progress. I was told by several more senior members of my research group that they also used to feel like that and it would get better, but this was only somewhat reassuring. I think the key point they forgot to make was that you won't stop feeling uncertain because one day you learn to understand all those talks, but because you just get used to the idea that there are so many research topics that you can't possibly understand them all. I really like showing people how mathematics is so much more than just the arithmetic they learned to hate at school. During my PhD I was part of a great research group with supporting advisors and I really enjoyed working at the university. I decided quite early on that I wanted to stay in academia and so after I finished my PhD I moved to the UK for a postdoc position, first in Warwick and then in Cambridge. As a postdoc I had to learn to work even more independently than as a PhD student and how to combat the ever-present imposter syndrome. I also started to do some outreach, giving talks to the general public and school students. I really like showing people how mathematics is so much more than just the arithmetic they learned to hate at school. Nowadays I work as an assistant professor at Delft University of Technology. My current job is a nice blend of research and teaching, and it also offers me possibilities to do outreach. I'm happy if seeing a woman mathematician, who is excited about the subject, makes some little girl consider a science career as a real possibility.

Her Maths Story Mar 12

“Since my goal was to solve a problem no one had ever solved before, it required a creative and flexible approach, one that emphasized the exploration, experimentation, and steady refinement of ideas. But perhaps the most important lesson I learned was that there is no single “correct” way to be a mathematician.” - Katy Micek

➡️ Find the full story at https://hermathsstory.eu/catherine-micek/

#PhD #WomenInMaths #WomenInSTEM #HerMathsStory #AppliedMathematics #DataScience #MachineLearning

Catherine Micek

Born in United States • Studied PhD in Mathematics at University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, United States • Lives in United States • Occupation Data Scientist Galileo Galilei said “Mathematics is the language with which God has written the universe.” I chose to have a career in mathematics because I wanted to be a “translator” for the language of mathematics. The first time I realized that I might enjoy teaching math was when I was in sixth grade. I was writing up a solution to a pre-algebra problem for a school newspaper article, and I discovered that I loved breaking the problem down into smaller steps that could each be carefully explained. Communicating a logical and precise solution was beautiful to me. When I went to college, choosing a major was tough because I was curious about many subjects. What drew me towards math during my freshman year was the idea of becoming a college math professor. A career as a math professor would allow me to combine the challenge of solving math problems as well as communicating the results. Furthermore, the fact that mathematics could be applied to a variety of fields appealed to my widespread curiosity. During college, I studied applications of math to some familiar and loved subjects (such as music) as well as some new and interesting ones (such as computer science). I majored in math and minored in physics and computer science with the goal of pursuing a Ph.D. in applied mathematics upon graduation. Graduate school was very different from my undergraduate studies. The coursework was more demanding, so I had to improve my study habits, and research required that I develop an entirely new set of skills. The nature of research was very different from the syllabus structure of problem sets and exams in a course. Since my goal was to solve a problem no one had ever solved before, it required a creative and flexible approach, one that emphasized the exploration, experimentation, and steady refinement of ideas. But perhaps the most important lesson I learned was that there is no single “correct” way to be a mathematician. I saw that fellow students succeeded by developing a process of learning and research that worked for their unique set of talents and interests. I, too, had to develop such a process, even though it was an arduous and intimidating journey, fraught with a lot of trial and error. Ultimately, though, the effort was worth it because it built my self-confidence. Since my goal was to solve a problem no one had ever solved before, it required a creative and flexible approach, one that emphasized the exploration, experimentation, and steady refinement of ideas. But perhaps the most important lesson I learned was that there is no single “correct” way to be a mathematician. At the end of graduate school, I had an unforeseen change of plans. My goal had always been to get a tenure-track job (which is the career track to a permanent academic position in America) at a local school. However, since no local positions were open the year I was graduating, I had to consider the trade-offs between my geographic location and the type of job I wanted. If I didn’t relocate, I would have to broaden my job search to include non-academic jobs (which I didn’t know much about) and temporary academic jobs (which had more uncertainty). It was scary to consider changing my long-held career plans, but I had an established support system of family and friends locally who were an important part of my life. After extensive deliberation, I accepted a two-year faculty position at a local school and began investigating non-academic career paths. Luckily for me, jobs in data science were starting to surge around the time I started looking at industrial jobs. Companies were looking to hire employees who understood complex statistical and machine learning algorithms and could write computer code. Data science was a great fit for my interests and skills - I had a lot of programming experience and was willing to learn whatever additional mathematics I needed for a job - so I began looking for jobs where I could use and further develop my technical skills. My first industry job was building statistical models for pricing policies at an insurance company, and from there I segued into data scientist and software developer roles. Although the domains are different and the mathematical techniques I use vary, my jobs generally have consisted of formulating the mathematical problem, writing the code to train the model and implementing the solution, and explaining the results to business stakeholders. I’ve worked as a data scientist at several companies on problems with diverse applications: energy, finance, supply chain, manufacturing, and media. Although the details of my professional life are different than if I was a math professor - the work is interdisciplinary and team-oriented - I still get to be a “translator” of mathematics. Even though my career path has gone differently than I originally planned, I am happy with the unexpected directions it has taken me. Keep in mind that the best career path is not about what the majority is doing or what others advise that you “should” do: it is the path you create for yourself. Published on March 12, 2025. Photo credit: Catherine Micek

Her Maths Story Mar 8

🌍✨ Celebrating the power of mentorship and role models this #InternationalWomensDay! 💫

Today, we honour the incredible women in mathematics from all around the world who are paving the way for future generations. We picked three quotes from fantastic women we featured who reflect on the role models and mentors who shaped their journey:

💬 “Although I may have never told her, [my PhD advisor] has always been my role model in this field. My aspiration is to be a source of inspiration and guidance for my students, just as she was for me.” (Liliana Esquivel) 📖 https://hermathsstory.eu/liliana-esquivel/

💬 “(...) I took the route of role models like Howard Wolowitz from the Big Bang Theory and Dr. Amelia Brand from Interstellar, and chose a degree in Aerospace Engineering.” (Sanchita Chakraborty) 📖 https://hermathsstory.eu/sanchita-chakraborty/

💬 “(...) I had a meeting where my mentor said “when you go to graduate school”. I had no idea what graduate school was, but I knew that if she believed in me, then I should go to graduate school.” (Pamela Estephania Harris) 📖 https://hermathsstory.eu/pamela-estephania-harris/

🔍 Tip: You can search our stories for specific hashtags, e.g. https://hermathsstory.eu/tag/mentors/.

🗺️ Explore our world map to discover the countries where the inspiring women we've featured live!

#WomenInMaths #WomensDay #MentorshipMatters #RoleModels #BreakingBarriers #InternationalWomensDay2025 #IWD25 #HerMathsStory

Liliana Esquivel

Born in Toledo, Norte de Santander, Colombia • Birth year 1991 • Studied Mathematics at the University of Pamplona in Colombia • Highest Degree PhD in Mathematics • Lives in Cali, Colombia • Occupation non-tenure track Associate Professor at the University of Valle, Colombia I never really thought I would become a mathematician. Although I enjoyed solving maths problems in my early years of high school, my first love was dance. I wanted to become a dancer. I finished high school when I was 14 years old. At that moment, while deciding what to study in college, a scholarship opportunity for Mathematics came up, and I thought, 'Why not?'. That 'why not' has turned into a career of almost 18 years. My passion for mathematics truly awakened with mathematical analysis. For me, the concept of approximation is one of the most refined in mathematics. Currently, I am continuing on the path that my undergraduate and graduate advisors helped shape for me. Staying on this professional path is thanks to them and the spark they ignited in me, which makes me want to keep learning every day, as learning is one of the things I enjoy the most. Although I may have never told her, [my PhD advisor] has always been my role model in this field. My aspiration is to be a source of inspiration and guidance for my students, just as she was for me. This career has given me the chance to visit unimaginable places, immerse myself in diverse cultures, and have unforgettable experiences. I've pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, tackling challenges I once believed were insurmountable, and somehow, I have succeeded each time. Along this journey, I have met incredible, inspiring, and talented individuals who have contributed to my growth both professionally and personally. Resilience and tenacity are two qualities that develop over time in this job. I was fortunate to have an exceptional PhD advisor—an intelligent, inspiring, strong, and determined woman. Although I may have never told her, she has always been my role model in this field. My aspiration is to be a source of inspiration and guidance for my students, just as she was for me. Being a mom has put me in the same boat as many others, trying to stay on top of my maths game while being fully present for my kids. In recent years, my academic perspective has evolved. I wish to remain active in research, but more than teaching, I want to share my passion. My passion is mathematics—its structure, its theorems, and ultimately, its beauty. I believe that by sharing this passion, I can inspire others to appreciate the elegance and depth of mathematics. I aim to create an engaging and stimulating learning environment where students can explore, question, and develop a profound understanding of mathematical concepts. My goal is to ignite their curiosity and foster a lifelong love for the subject, just as my mentors did for me. One of the most challenging aspects throughout these years has been balancing my professional and personal life. Being a mom has put me in the same boat as many others, trying to stay on top of my maths game while being fully present for my kids. However, being a mother to a child with special needs has illuminated for me the profound societal needs. Specifically, it's shown me how we need a kinder, more inclusive academic world, one that's less about labels and more about understanding and support.

Her Maths Story Feb 26

"The realization that mathematical concepts and theory could directly impact and improve real-world problems...fueled my passion for pursuing further research and applications that bridge theory with practice" - Anna Ma

➡️ https://hermathsstory.eu/anna-ma/

#Academia #AppliedMathematics #WomenInMaths #WomenInSTEM #HerMathsStory

Anna Ma

Born in the US • Studied Mathematics at the University of California, Los Angeles • Highest Degree PhD in Computational Science from the Claremont Graduate University • Lives in the US • Occupation Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Irvine When I was a kid, there were lots of things I wanted to be: a lawyer, a teacher, a singer, and even, at one point, a maid (I loved organizing and cleaning as a kid, too!) The thought of being a professor, let alone a professor of mathematics, never crossed my mind. I enjoyed mathematics as a kid but wasn’t the “math wiz” in school. I simply enjoyed it. In other classes, I had to memorize all these seemingly random facts, dates, and names of cell parts and their functions. In math classes, all I needed to do was understand the underlying concept, and I would be able to solve many problems! My first memory of just the thought of being a mathematics professor came in high school. I joined a class geared towards first-generation college students and presented a project on my dream career as a high school math teacher. Around middle school, I decided to pursue mathematics as a career. My parents immigrated to the US as refugees during the Vietnam War and worked as nail technicians and factory workers so the only people I knew who “did math” were the math teachers I interacted with at school. Thus, I set my sights on becoming a high school math teacher. My first memory of just the thought of being a mathematics professor came in high school. I joined a class geared towards first-generation college students and presented a project on my dream career as a high school math teacher. One of my classmates turned to me after my presentation and said, “I think you’re aiming too low; I think you should be a math professor.” I told her there was no way I could ever accomplish that, and I left it at that. While trying to figure out what other careers existed for mathematicians, I stumbled upon Applied Mathematics and research: the wonderful world of creating new and exciting mathematics for real-world applications. [..] From there, I was hooked. In college, I began taking math classes beyond calculus: logic, analysis, algebra, combinatorics, and numerical analysis. Logic and Numerical Analysis were two of my favorite courses, and it occurred to me that if I were a high school math teacher, I’d never have the opportunity to “do numerical analysis” again. (Was I being a little dramatic? Yes. But did I know what I wanted? Also, yes!) While trying to figure out what other careers existed for mathematicians, I stumbled upon Applied Mathematics and research: the wonderful world of creating new and exciting mathematics for real-world applications. My first research project was to help develop an algorithm for the Los Angeles Police Department to clean reporting data automatically. Next, I worked on a project analyzing Twitter (now called X) data to categorize Tweets automatically into content-based topics that did not rely on keyword searches. From there, I was hooked. In college and grade school, it was difficult to see how intertwined mathematics was with the world around us. Through these projects, I began to see mathematics and the world through a new lens. The realization that mathematical concepts and theory could directly impact and improve real-world problems is inspiring, and this shift in perspective not only enhanced my appreciation for mathematics but also fueled my passion for pursuing further research and applications that bridge theory with practice. In academia, you raise the next generation of mathematicians, discover and create new mathematics, and serve the scientific community and beyond. Working in academia is an incredibly unique opportunity. In academia, you raise the next generation of mathematicians, discover and create new mathematics, and serve the scientific community and beyond. At the same time, academia can be really difficult because everyone has opinions about what you should and shouldn’t be doing and how you should and shouldn’t be spending your time. Early on, I decided I would do what made me happy. If that wasn’t enough for academia, then I wouldn’t be happy doing it anyway. There really is no other job like it in the world. Currently, I am working with multiple graduate students, recruiting new students for an undergraduate research project, writing proposals, and writing manuscripts to introduce new and improved algorithms and theorems to the mathematics community. One of the most surprising things I’ve discovered about this career is how much traveling I get to do. Every year, there is typically at least one international trip (Paris, France last year for the SIAM Applied Linear Algebra conference!) and a few domestic trips for conferences, visiting collaborators, and presenting research at other universities and research institutions. My day-to-day life in my career is never the same, which makes the work and life very exciting.

Her Maths Story Nov 14, 2024

📢 Quick Update

We’re taking a 3-month break to recharge and make some adjustments. We'll return soon with more inspiring stories of women in math! Thanks for your support—feel free to explore past posts and keep sharing your passion for women in STEM! 💙

See you soon,
The Her Maths Story Team

#womeninmaths #womeninstem #hermathsstory #PauseToRecharge #BackSoon

Her Maths Story Nov 13, 2024

🌟 Welcome Dr. Lakshmi Chandrasekaran, one of our new team members! 🌟

We're excited to have her join Her Maths Story, passionate about affecting change in the diversity of STEM representation. Let’s give her a warm welcome! 🌟

#WomenInSTEM #scicomm #mathchat #HerMathsStory