Female mathematicians: women in math from ancient times through recent years. Mathematics fields include arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, number theory, advanced algebra and topology.
Mathematics as a field of science or philosophy was largely closed to women before the twentieth century. However, from ancient times through the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth century, a few women have achieved notably in mathematics. Here are ten women of note in early math -- their life stories and their achievements documented on this site.
In a 14th century illustration from a copy of Euclid's
Elements, a woman is shown holding a compass and square, teaching geometry to a group of monks.
Oldest of 21 children and a child prodigy who studied languages and math, Maria Agnesi wrote a textbook to explain math to her brothers which became a noted textbook on mathematics.
Marjorie Lee Browne was one of the first black women to receive a doctorate in mathematics
Sophie Germain studied geometry to escape boredom during the French Revolution when she was confined to her family's home, and went on to do important work in mathematics, especially her work on Fermat's Last Theorem.
Astronomer and mathematician, she assisted her brother, William, and helped discover the planet Uranus. She made her own mark, too, with her work.
Philosopher, astronomer and mathematician, she headed up a Neoplatonic School, part of the Museum of Alexandria, Egypt. Her students were pagan and Christian young men from around the empire. She was killed by a mob of Christians in 415, probably inflamed by the bishop of Alexandria, Cyril.
The only legitimate daughter of Byron, the poet, her translation of an article on Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine includes notations (three-fourths of the translation!) that describe what later became known as a computer and as software. In 1980, the Ada computer language was named for her.
Called by Albert Einstein "the most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began," Noether escaped Germany when the Nazis took over, and taught in America for several years before her unexpected death.
About Elena Cornaro Piscopia, mathematician and the first woman to earn a doctorate.
Information on Charlotte Angas Scott - her life and work.
The School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews, Scotland, lists many women in mathematics for whom they've included biographies on the site and, for some, printable black and white posters, especially suitable for classroom use.
Basic facts and a biography of the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics.
Profiles of African American women who have earned a Ph.D. in mathematics or who have done significant research in math. "Less than 1% of all mathematicians are Black. 25% of these are women."
This exhaustive list (which misses Hypatia) shows how the 19th and 20th century have had an explosion of women involved in math. There are no links for the names, so more research is needed for details.
In this 1991 article, six women in mathematics tell their own stories. From the American Mathematical Society and the Association for Women in Mathematics.
The Association for Women in Mathematics maintains a list of links for biographies of women mathematicians found on the AWM site, with a few more found elsewhere on the Net.
First American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics is profiled in this biography with references.
Women mathematicians who have given the Emmy Noether lectures since 1980 are profiled here, along with a profile of Emmy Noether herself. From the Association for Women in Mathematics.
