Month: July 2022

20
Jul
2022
Pêdra Andrade

Pêdra Andrade

Born in Pedrinhas – Sergipe, Brazil • Birth year 1989 • Studied BSc in Mathematics at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS) in Aracaju, Brazil • Highest Degree PhD in Mathematics at Pontifical Catholic of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio) • Lives in Lisbon, Portugal • Occupation Postdoctoral researcher at IST – University of Lisbon

I decided I wanted to be a math teacher when I was eleven years old. It’s funny to remember that at such a young age, I already knew what I wanted to do with my life. I always had one of my biggest inspirations at home, my mom was a high school teacher and she loves math. I also enjoyed studying math and its accuracy always enchanted me.

Another of my goals was to study math at the Federal University of Sergipe (UFS), the only public university in Sergipe. This was one of the first challenges that I had on this journey. I studied hard to get into university. Fortunately, I got into UFS.

At the beginning of College, everything was amazing, I was living the dream. Even though I had many difficulties with the adaptation process to the university, the new city, and also living far from home, I had the courage and perseverance to tackle each of them. I believe that dealing with our inner selves is one of the biggest challenges we face when studying mathematics. Staying motivated and confident is hard work. This field of science is very beautiful but at the same time very difficult. During this time, I had the pleasure to interact with great professors who inspired me to continue studying mathematics. I’ve always been delighted by the mathematical concepts and the arguments that we use to produce the  beautiful math demonstrations.

Staying motivated and confident is hard work. This field of science is very beautiful but at the same time very difficult.

At this point, I decided to get my Master’s degree in mathematics. At that time, I had no idea what being a researcher was like. Different from my Bachelor’s, I was the only woman in the class. I started to feel like I didn’t belong in that space. I no longer felt comfortable talking and exchanging ideas with my colleagues; it was impossible not to compare myself with the others and I tried to fit in.

Even though I had many difficulties, I got  my Master’s degree. I survived and thanks to my desire to never give up I started my Ph.D. in math at PUC – Rio. As I studied commutative algebra during my Master’s degree, my first thought was to continue studying this subject, but there was no specialist Professor at the time at PUC – Rio. Looking back, I think this was a good thing, as it opened up so many possibilities. Trying to find myself I attended a seminar that focused on partial differential equations (PDEs) with algebra ingredients. I always had this enchantment in studying subjects at the intersection of many fields. I was very glad to see these connections as an example of the magnitude of the study of PDEs and their applications.

Trying to find myself I attended a seminar that focused on partial differential equations (PDEs) with algebra ingredients. I always had this enchantment in studying subjects at the intersection of many fields.

During my doctorate I had the opportunity to attend many scientific events including gender initiatives, give presentations, and I also had the opportunity to study at the University of Central Florida as a Visiting Fellow. After completing my Ph.D., I visited the Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas (CIMAT) in Mexico and held a postdoctoral position at São Paulo University, São Carlos in Brazil. These experiences contributed significantly to my research career, because I learned so much mathematics, but also I got some independence and learned a little bit about how a researcher’s career works. I am extremely grateful for the many special people who supported me throughout this journey.

It is worth mentioning that one of the biggest difficulties I deal with during my journey is the feeling that I have to be strong all the time. I’m not supposed to make mistakes and I do have to know the answers to every question. Nevertheless, the challenges inspire me and arise my curiosity. This is the feeling that moves me to overcome the difficulties that appear to me as a mathematician, such as learning new PDE methods or gender issues. For me, the scientific and human exchange is one of the greatest gifts the profession has given me. 

My research area concerns the study of regularity theory, the existence and the uniqueness of the solutions to elliptic and parabolic equations. Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST) – University of Lisbon and I am very excited to write this new chapter of my career as a woman in science.

Posted by HMS in Stories
06
Jul
2022
Maurine Atieno Songa

Maurine Atieno Songa

Born in Kenya • Birth year 1986 • Studied Mathematics at the University of Nairobi • Highest Degree MSc in Applied Mathematics from the University of Kwazulu-Natal • Lives in Durban, South Africa • Occupation PhD student at the University of Kwazulu-Natal and Assistant Lecturer, Kisii University, Kenya (on study leave)

I am currently pursuing a PhD degree in mathematics at the University of Kwazulu-Natal. My research uses the language of category theory, which is the study of objects and relationships between them, to unpack and understand real-life phenomena. The areas for its application are vast and include engineering, computer science, neuroscience, systems theory, and general relativity. This journey has indeed been a dream come true. I have loved mathematics since grade five, when I surprisingly performed well in an exam that brought together students from the whole district. I hadn’t always performed well before and I hadn’t been remotely aware that I could do well in mathematics. However, once I topped that exam, there was no going back. My mathematics teacher had taken notice that I could do well in mathematics, and he kept me on my toes. With more effort, I found the subject easier and more enjoyable than the rest. I enjoyed calculating sums and rejoiced when I got them right. It was as though a new world had opened up for me and the escape I found within it brought me peace. I also enjoyed teaching my classmates the concepts which they found difficult. In a way, my destiny had been sealed.

At higher levels of study, the main challenges we faced were a lack of resources and scarcity in the woman role models that we could look up to.

I must admit that the journey hasn’t always been easy. Much as the teachers encouraged us and pushed us to work hard, it wasn’t often easy to see the future that they envisioned. It was tough growing up in a village which had been ravaged by HIV/AIDS. Most of us were being raised up by grandmothers who were now frail. As my mother had died when I was eight years old, I had to rely on bursaries and scholarships to get through most of my schooling. It also wasn’t common for girls to love mathematics or to excel in it, and so, negative remarks were often made about mathematics. A narrative was pushed that mathematics was meant for boys, and that girls who loved it were to be feared. But the love, passion, and the escape that mathematics provided, together with the pressure and encouragement from the teachers, was enough to help me push through.

At higher levels of study, the main challenges we faced were a lack of resources and scarcity in the woman role models that we could look up to. We got to learn essential skills like programming so late, and even then, most of what we learned was theoretical. As such, we did not have the full knowledge required to forge forward in mathematics. Our knowledge about possible career avenues was also limited. In graduate school, I have struggled with imposter syndrome, a feeling that you are not worthy. Sharing this experience with a few colleagues has led me to the realisation that most of us struggle sometimes, especially those who came from humble backgrounds. My friends and colleagues have taught me to push back that negative voice and to often remember how far we have come.

To me, knowing these incredible women, and knowing that they, just like me, have overcome so much to get to where they are, is a testament that women are capable of extraordinary achievements in mathematics and other STEM-related areas.

There have been notable influences without which I couldn’t have reached this far. Attending the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) opened my eyes to the vast areas of applicability in mathematics. The networks they provided have proved invaluable. It was great getting to meet other women from Africa and finding out that we all had similar challenges growing up, and yet, with persistence and a little luck in terms of scholarships, we managed to push through. We could now cultivate and find inspiration amongst ourselves. I know that there are many heroes in the world of mathematics, but those who inspired me the most were peers I met during graduate school. I get inspired every day by exemplary woman peers who have gone ahead of me and attained their doctorates in mathematics. To me, knowing these incredible women, and knowing that they, just like me, have overcome so much to get to where they are, is a testament that women are capable of extraordinary achievements in mathematics and other STEM-related areas.

As such, it is imperative to teach our girls from early on that their gender does not prohibit them from excelling in the sciences or any career that has traditionally been set aside for the men. It should be our prerogative to instill in them that they too can be at the core of discoveries in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and engineering and that they can become whatever they dream and work hard towards. Girls need to know that there is much more that they can achieve in life if they work hard towards it. I am grateful to forums like Her Maths Story for highlighting our stories and for working towards changing the narrative.

Posted by HMS in Stories