Women in Mathematics
1. In the lecture and reading, we learn about some of the earliest women to appear in the recorded history of mathematics. To what extent were you previously aware of this early history? Which, if any, of the women mathematicians were already familiar to you? Do you detect any common themes, or striking differences, in the individual stories of these women? What do you find surprising about their stories?
2. What aspects of the history of women in the US mathematical community, as related in the chapter from Women Becoming Mathematicians, were new to you? What aspects of this history strike you as particularly interesting, surprising, or otherwise noteworthy? To what extent do you think your own experience of mathematics has been shaped by some of the forces described in that chapter?
3. Select one or two of the women mathematicians discussed in this week’s lecture and reading and make the case as to why they should be better known. What do you think would be the best way to get their stories out? For example, do you think they should be the subject of a feature film? Do you think their stories should be incorporated into pre-college courses in mathematics, history, or social studies? Use your imagination here.
