Welcome to the web site for biographies of women in mathematics. These pages are part
of a project at Agnes Scott College
in Atlanta, Georgia, to
illustrate the numerous achievements of women in the field of mathematics.
Here you can find biographical essays or comments
on the
women mathematicians profiled on this site, as well as additional resources about women in mathematics. Each time this page is reloaded, a randomly selected photo is displayed to the left (if Javascript is enabled). Click on the image to go to the profile of that woman.
Did you know? (See the Archive for past announcements)
- Claire Voisin, Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu, France, will receive the 2024 Crafoord Prize in Mathematics "for outstanding contributions to complex and algebraic geometry, including Hodge theory, algebraic cycles, and hyperkähler geometry." Voisin is the first woman to receive the Crafoord Prize in Mathematics. For more information, see the news article from the American Mathematical Society, or watch the video from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences that describes Voisin's work that led to the Crafoord Prize.
- Congratulations to Jenna Carpenter, Professor of Engineering and Founding Dean at Campbell University, who will take office as the Mathematical Association of America’s new president-elect on July 1, 2024. For more information, see the Press Release from Campbell University.
- Congratulations to the USA Team for earning second place in the 12th European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO), with each student also earning a gold medal for their individual performances. The EGMO is an international mathematics competition focused on gathering teams of young women from around the globe to engage in a two-day competition. For more information about the team and their accomplishment, see the press release from the Mathematical Association of America, or watch the March 2023 Curious Cube podcast on YouTube featuring the four members of the team.
- Scientists recently named a mesa-like lunar mountain that towers above the landscape carved by craters near the Moon’s South Pole. This unique feature will now be referred to as "Mons Mouton," after NASA mathematician and computer programmer Melba Roy Mouton. To read more about Melba Mouton and her work at NASA, see the NASA Ames Research Center website article.
- Congratulations to Ingrid Daubechies of Duke University for winning the 2023 Wolf Prize in Mathematics "for work in wavelet theory and applied harmonic analysis". The acclaimed Wolf Prize is awarded to outstanding scientists and artists from around the world for "achievements in the interest of humanity and friendly relations among people." The scientific categories of the prize include medicine, agriculture, mathematics, chemistry, and physics. Daubechies is the first woman to receive the prize in the field of mathematics since the prize was first awarded in 1978. For more information, see the Wolf Foundation website.
AWM Biographies Contest
To increase awareness of women's ongoing contributions to the mathematical
sciences, the Association for Women in Mathematics sponsors an essay
contest for biographies of contemporary women mathematicians and
statisticians in academic, industrial, and government careers. This
contest is open to students in the following categories: Grades 6-8,
Grades 9-12, and College Undergraduate. At least one winning submission will be chosen from each category. Winners will receive a prize, and their essays will be published online at the AWM website. Additionally, a grand prize winner will have his or her submission published in the AWM Newsletter. For more information and to see the results of past Essay Contests, go to https://awm-math.org/awards/student-essay-contest/.
Agnes Scott College, founded in 1889, is a private liberal arts college for women in
Decatur, a part of Atlanta, Georgia.
Looking for college scholarships for women? Agnes Scott, a top liberal arts college, offers women generous scholarships based on academic record, academic interests, and ethnic and religious affiliations.
Visit the Agnes Scott College Mathematics
Department website.
https://mathwomen.agnesscott.org/women.htm