There are four of us, so more than half are present!
Hello, my dear subscribers!
In this post, I will share my thoughts on one article about Women in Mathematics.
Almost twenty years ago back, in high school, I was part of a Calculus class of around thirty students. When there would be four of us, the girls, in some setting, we would joke: "Looks like more than fifty percent of the girls are here." Reflecting now, I realize how we found humor in a reality that was an undeniable part of our daily lives.
By the way, if you can sense a word problem 🧮 you are right! The question is: What is the lowest possible number of girls in the class?
(Hint: I dedicate this post to ALL my girlfriends from the Calc class: Aleksandra, Bibe, Emilia, Irena, Ivana, and Viktoria.)
This blog post is part of my homework for one of my PIDP courses (check out their Facebook page here), and the topic I picked is my always-and-forever-theme Women in Mathematics, or more generally, STEM. Plus, the 8th of March (International Women's Day) is in just two weeks, so isn't this the ideal time for such a post? 😊
I decided that I should find a well-researched and thorough article. The good news for all of us is that I found one 😊The article is National Mathematics Survey by Amanda Glazer, Ph.D. Candidate in Statistics at UC Berkeley. Feel free to click here to access the article.
As a woman in the field of mathematics, I firmly believe that with every tutoring session I show up for my students, particularly the female ones, I'm conveying a powerful message: that they, too, can pursue this path, they can solve the problem, and they should not give up. For me personally, it feels like I'm continuing a legacy.
Hello, my dear subscribers!
In this post, I will share my thoughts on one article about Women in Mathematics.
Almost twenty years ago back, in high school, I was part of a Calculus class of around thirty students. When there would be four of us, the girls, in some setting, we would joke: "Looks like more than fifty percent of the girls are here." Reflecting now, I realize how we found humor in a reality that was an undeniable part of our daily lives.
By the way, if you can sense a word problem 🧮 you are right! The question is: What is the lowest possible number of girls in the class?
(Hint: I dedicate this post to ALL my girlfriends from the Calc class: Aleksandra, Bibe, Emilia, Irena, Ivana, and Viktoria.)
This blog post is part of my homework for one of my PIDP courses (check out their Facebook page here), and the topic I picked is my always-and-forever-theme Women in Mathematics, or more generally, STEM. Plus, the 8th of March (International Women's Day) is in just two weeks, so isn't this the ideal time for such a post? 😊
I decided that I should find a well-researched and thorough article. The good news for all of us is that I found one 😊The article is National Mathematics Survey by Amanda Glazer, Ph.D. Candidate in Statistics at UC Berkeley. Feel free to click here to access the article.
As a woman in the field of mathematics, I firmly believe that with every tutoring session I show up for my students, particularly the female ones, I'm conveying a powerful message: that they, too, can pursue this path, they can solve the problem, and they should not give up. For me personally, it feels like I'm continuing a legacy.
Back in high school, I had a math tutor, Ms Valenitina, who taught with confidence and unbelievable ease. Now, I'm passing that on. It might sound big when I say legacy, but I believe it's, especially considering that women weren't allowed to pursue math not so long ago.😣
So, let's go back to the article.
This insightful article begins with a sentence I believe the author, Amanda Glazer, couldn't have found better. It states: “You’re a girl, you overthink the problem too much.”, Glazer (2019).
I'm an overthinker, too, and this quote hits me personally, as I believe it hits the author Amanda Glazer. Why does my gender matter for my problem-solving skills? Please, don't judge or put me in a box!
You might ask, "Your assignment is on Trends in the Field; what is the trend here?"
The trend in the study is that a significant proportion of female undergraduates feel dissuaded from pursuing mathematics courses.
In her article, the author displays qualitative data on the gender gap imbalances collected from five prestigious universities in the USA: Harvard, MIT, Yale, Princeton, and Brown. Most of the data is presenting results from 2010 to 2015. She also provides quantitative data through comments that female students were being told or exposed to. One sad example is the sentence: "You're the only girl I know who is good at math." Glazer (2019).
One of the most dramatic statistics I read in this article is about women's enrollment in the course Math 55 at Harvard. According to the same author, this course is considered one of the most challenging. The findings are that:
"Five of the last ten semesters (50%) have seen no women enrolled in Math 55. Over the past 5 years, less than 7% (11/163) of the students enrolled in Math 55 have been women." Glazer (2019)
Such devasting data! What! No women enrolled!! Really?
"Five of the last ten semesters (50%) have seen no women enrolled in Math 55. Over the past 5 years, less than 7% (11/163) of the students enrolled in Math 55 have been women." Glazer (2019)
Such devasting data! What! No women enrolled!! Really?
Next, in this article, the author provides strategies, suggestions, and steps on how this gender gap should be managed and treated. I will share some of them.
Hire more female faculty members
This includes hiring female members at all levels, from junior to senior. Increasing the representation of women in academic roles fosters a more inclusive environment, offering diverse perspectives and role models for aspiring female mathematicians.
Mandatory Unconscious Bias Training
In my opinion, people may not always be aware of comments that can be interpreted as unwelcoming to women in mathematics. Implementing mandatory bias training becomes crucial in creating awareness and a more inclusive atmosphere.
Many will agree that unconscious biases can shape hiring decisions, professional interactions, and overall class or workplace dynamics. Training programs serve as a proactive measure to educate individuals about these biases, encouraging mindful behavior and promoting equal opportunities for all.
Invite female mathematicians to speak
Post-secondary institutions should actively address this issue by including female mathematicians or engineers as guest speakers, which can send a powerful message about inclusivity. Female mathematicians who share their experiences will not only inspire but also demonstrate the diverse paths women can take in mathematical careers. This exposure will break stereotypes and encourage more women to pursue and more importantly, to persist in mathematics.
Last but not least (I kept this for the end hehe), I would like to use this blog to share that Science World in Vancouver is organizing an event on the 8th of March titled Girls and STEAM: Career Path Adventure on International Women's Day. Feel free to click here to access the event details.
In summary, the article explores the present gender gap among male and female undergraduate students in mathematics. The article also talks about initiatives to address the existing gap. I optimistically use the term "present" with the hope that future female students will find the encouragement to enroll and persist in math college courses and be represented in higher numbers in advanced-level classes.
Thank you for reading this post.
Resources:
Girls and STEAM: Career Path Adventures on International Women’s Day. (n.d.). Science World. Retrieved February 25, 2024, from https://www.scienceworld.ca/event/girls-and-steam-career-path-adventures-on-international-womens-day/
Glazer, A. (2019, March 10). National Mathematics Survey. MIT Women in Mathematics. https://math.mit.edu/wim/2019/03/10/national-mathematics-survey/
Published Feb 24th, 2024
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