AWM and Math for America are organising a Mathematics Student Essay Contest. The deadline for submission is February 1, 2025.
To increase awareness of women’s ongoing contributions to the mathematical sciences, the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and Math for America co-sponsor an essay contest for biographies of contemporary women mathematicians and statisticians in academic, industrial, and government careers. The essays will be based primarily on an interview with a woman currently working in or retired from a mathematical sciences career. Participation is open to middle school, high school, and undergraduate students.
This essay contest is open to students in the following categories:
At least one winning submission will be chosen from each category.
Your essay should be based primarily on an interview you conduct with a woman currently working in or retired from a mathematical career.
You may interview and write about any woman currently working in or retired from a mathematical sciences career with a small number of exceptions (listed below). Here are some suggestions for finding possible women to interview:
If you would like to be put in contact with someone who has agreed to be interviewed for this contest, please fill out this Google Form. Please note that requests received by January 10 each year can only be accommodated.
A few women are not eligible as essay subjects. These individuals are:
A complete list of ineligible women can be found here.
The following questions are suggestions for what to ask your interviewee during the interview:
These questions are just starting points! Use them as a guide, but ask other questions based on your interests or what you know about your interviewee’s interests and experiences, too. You should also follow up with more questions based on your interviewee’s responses to make this more of a conversation. Speaking in person, over the phone, or in a videoconference instead of e-mailing will make it easier for you two to respond to each other.
All submissions become the property of the Association for Women in Mathematics.
A valid submission will contain the following information:
Submissions will open on this link in December 2024.
The deadline for submission is February 1, 2025.
If you have any questions, please contact the AWM Essay Contest Organizer, Dr. Johanna Franklin (johanna[dot]n[dot]franklin[at]hofstra[dot]edu).
