August 14, 2017

Cathleen S. Morawetz, whose achievements in mathematics found widespread practical use, helped open her profession to other women and made her the first female mathematician to receive the National Medal of Science, died Aug. 8 at her home in New York. She was 94.

August 07, 2017

Young women, including women who are exceptionally talented in math, tend to underestimate their ability.

That lack of confidence likely pushes some of the field’s best minds to pursue other avenues. After all, even if someone has elite skills, if she doesn’t believe herself to be a talented mathematician, she’s unlikely to pursue a STEM education and subsequent career.

August 29, 2017

What does this mean for the uptake of A-level maths among girls? At present, 65% of boys who get As in GCSE maths choose to take it at A-level, while only 43% of girls do so. Of all students, 39% of maths candidates, and just 27% of further maths candidates, are female. Students are often unaware that top universities require double maths (maths and further maths) at A-level for maths, physics, computer science or engineering degrees, so this has negative consequences for their participation in Stem courses and careers.