July 29, 2018, 4:00 pm
International protagonists of important advances in mathematics will gather in Rio de Janeiro on July 31st at the World Meeting for Women in Mathematics (WM)². An initiative by the Committee for Women in Mathematics of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), (WM)² aims to promote the exchange of experiences among scientists from five continents, united by academic interest and specific challenges faced by women in mathematics. Along with academic studies, data will be presented on the impact of gender disparity in the field.
The meeting is a satellite event of the most important mathematics congress, the ICM 2018, which will also take place at Riocentro’s convention center from the 1st to the 9th of August. At the (WM)² opening ceremony, the first part of the documentary “Journeys of Women in Mathematics” – produced by the Simons Foundation in partnership with the Committee for Women in Mathematics – will be exhibited for the first time. The short film tells the stories of women mathematicians around the world, focusing on their research and day-to-day barriers they face in their careers. IMPA’s Carolina Araujo is one of the interviewees (and one of the organizers of (WM)²).
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In addition to poster presentations, five scientific lectures will be given by internationally renowned researchers in diverse areas of math. Challenges, initiatives and perspectives on women’s under-representation in the area will be discussed in focus groups throughout the day.
The Organizing Committee of (WM)² has prepared a special tribute to Maryam Mirzakhani (1977-2017). A Stanford University Professor in the United States, she was the only woman to win the Fields Medal, the highest honor in the mathematics, established in 1937 to reward outstanding and promising mathematicians under the age of 40. In addition to unpublished photos, the memorial will bring together her life’s work, a specialist in algebraic geometry and topology, among other fields of study.