African American in Mathematics: Gloria Ford Gilmer

               Last week’s article covered Benjamin Banneker, an African American mathematician who lived in the 18^th century and worked with Thomas Jefferson on scientific and social issues. Much has happened in America since then, but African Americans are still greatly under represented in the field of mathematics. Gloria Ford Gilmer’s passion for math surpasses the disadvantages of being a woman of color in the field, and has contributed a whole lot to mathematics as a student and as a teacher.

Gloria Ford Gilmer in 1999.

           Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Gloria attended Morgan State University in the 1950’s, where she studied under Clarence Stephens, a prolific African American Mathematician. Her love for math was deeper than simply attaining a PhD, and she published two papers alongside Clarence as an undergraduate on the subject of Eigen function series. Her achievement drove her to become the first African American woman without a PhD to publish a math paper. Gloria went on to earn a BS from Morgan University and an MA from the University of Pennsylvania; she would go on to earn a PhD in curriculum and instruction, but first took a break from her studies to teach and care for her family.

            Before she gained a PhD, Gloria taught at six different historically black universities and became an inspiration to many minorities and women through teaching, all while her personal life bloomed with a marriage and children.  For two years in the beginning of the 1980’s Gloria represented African American Women on the board of the Mathematical Association of America, and was the first woman of color to do so.

            In 1985, Gloria co-founded and became the president of the International Study Group of Ethnomathematics, and was leading the field of ethno mathematics, the study of mathematical structures in certain cultures. Gloria has worked in the field to bring the rich complexity of mathematics and African American culture together, and provided a platform that reaches a wide variety of people due to its interesting mathematical nature.

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Photo from Gilmer's 1998 paper, Mathematical Patterns in African American Hairstyles.

            Gloria's work continues to be an inspiration to many people thanks to her drive and love for mathematics, not to mention her great accomplishments in and for the world of under represented groups in mathematics.


Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Ford_Gilmer
http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/PEEPS/gilmer_gloria.html
https://www.agnesscott.edu/lriddle/women/gilmer.htm
http://www.math.buffalo.edu/mad/special/gilmer-gloria_HAIRSTYLES.html

Women in STEM

Women in STEM: Bridging the Gap

     With Women's History Month winding to a close, will the conversation about STEM education for females also dwindle to a mere whisper? We have already written about the accomplished women in the STEM fields, but what about the young mathematicians and scientists that are trying to break into the male-dominated area of study? While the disparity between males and females in STEM is easy to spot, the root of the problem is not as obvious. For years, researchers have made efforts to determine what exactly causes females to shy away from careers in math and science. Pinpointing specific problems would allow for an effective solution to take shape. This post is aiming to inform people about the obstacles that stand in the way for women in STEM, as well the work that has been done to bridge the gender gap.

So, what's the problem? And why does it matter?

     In the general workforce, females are only slightly outnumbered by men. Men encompass 52% of the workforce, while females make up the other 48%. However, in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), woman make up only 24% of the workforce. This statistic shows that as most industries are closing the gender gap, the STEM field is making much less progress. This is significant to women, because in the STEM field the wage gap between men and women is actually much smaller. In STEM, the wage gap is only 14%, whereas is all other fields the gap is 21%. In addition to this, STEM careers have higher salaries in general, averaging over $10 more an hour. There is also a greater chance for career advancements. More importantly, in an era of global competition and technology, shouldn't we be utilizing all possible talent in the important fields of math and science? The gender gap in STEM shows that a significant supply of intelligent and capable female workers are not being used efficiently. 

Disparity in Higher Education

     New studies show that females are actually more likely to earn a college degree than males are. However, this trend does not translate into the fields of math and science. In fact, the opposite seems to be true, as a smaller share of STEM degrees are going to females. Between 2004 and 2014, the percent of STEM degrees earned by women decreased in each discipline area. On average, only 35% of STEM degrees are earned by females, and 65% are earned by males. The fields with the greatest discrepancy between men and women are computer science and engineering. Each only confer about 18% of degrees to females. Interestingly enough, the gap grows throughout college. In other words, there is a lower retention rate for females in STEM. This is particularly true in the fields dominated by men, such as engineering. Out of 100 female students, only 12 will graduate with a stem degree.

Perception and Stereotypes 

     Picture it. A stereotypically "nerdy" male with a female friend that struggles with basic math–a twist on the classic, "Beauty and the Geek". How many shows follow this plot line?  I can think of a few off the top of my head. Even in the modern era, our culture is pervaded with the idea that young boys should play with legos, while girls should play with Barbies. It may seem trivial, but even simple toy or show choices can impact the decisions young children make, and set into motion their likes and dislikes. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, at age 9 the gender gap in science and math starts to widen. About 2/3 of girls under the age of 12 claim to like science, yet by the time they reach high school, opt out of advanced level math and science courses. What causes them to diverge from their original interests? Around age 12, girls start to lose confidence in their mathematical abilities. In a survey, a 15 year-old females were more likely to"get nervous when doing a math problem", or "worry that they will get low marks" than their male counterparts. This does not necessarily reflect their grades, but instead shows the mindset that young girls assume when it comes to learning in the STEM fields.
     Unfortunately, some teachers fail to reassure these students. In a NBER study, a researcher found that when grading math, teachers who knew the gender of the test taker were more likely to show a bias favoring male students. When they were unaware of gender, the exams were scored more evenly. This information seems to show that students and teachers alike are likely to adhere to the gender stereotypes set forth in the past. In fact, students in entry level college biology classes were asked to guess which students in their class had the highest grade. The answers showed that male students overwhelmingly selected other males, while females selected males and females equally. Could this be a reason why more females don't continue taking STEM classes after beginner courses?

What's being done to help?

     Many researchers agree that part of the issue plaguing females in STEM is the lack of mentors. If there aren't a plethora of women in STEM, there is less encouragement for young girls to work in that field. Therefore, in the next generation, there are still less women in STEM, and the cycle continues. In order to put an end to the cyclic imbalance of the STEM fields, organizations like Million Women Mentors are forming. Million Women Mentors encourages both men and women to sign up as mentors, and then match these mentors with young women. They strive to not only get students interested in STEM, but to further the initial interest through encouragement, job-shadowing, internships, and sponsorships. Larger corporations, such as the Huffington Post, also have initiatives in place to encourage and support women in STEM. President Obama and the White House have also dedicated time and resources to the improvement in STEM. A new 15 million dollar is being proposed that would grant money to mentoring programs, as well as new curriculum for k-12 STEM education.
     Getting to the root of the problem, however, involves a change in mindset from educators, students, and STEM professionals alike. In an article by Tech Crunch, Erin Sawyer explains the importance of incorporating STEm education at an early age and continuing to foster a connection to math and science. This involves showing young girls practical uses of STEM. For an example, Kids' Vision is an after-school program that brings girls into Silicon Valley and exposes them to the tech industry. Likewise, Technovation is placing leadership in young girls' hands, holding competitions to build confidence and familiarity with the STEM field. These programs can help initiate an interest in STEM, and broaden the career opportunities that young women see.

So what can you do?

Becoming aware of the issue is one of the first steps towards finding a solution. Changing your own mindset about females in STEM is a way to ensure you are doing your part. Whether it's signing up to become a mentor, staying up to date on new programs, or simply encouraging your child to follow their interests, any step is good if it's in the right direction.

sources:
http://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/girls-in-stem 

http://www.seattletimes.com/education-lab/new-bill-would-encourage-support-women-and-minorities-in-stem-fields/
http://www.goodcall.com/news/study-shows-male-students-underestimate-their-female-peers-in-early-stem-courses-05106
http://techcrunch.com/2016/01/05/why-stems-future-rests-in-the-hands-of-12-year-old-girls/

http://www.esa.doc.gov/sites/default/files/womeninstemagaptoinnovation8311.pdf

Famous Women of Science and Mathematics

Today, the Worldwide Center of Mathematics is going to talk about some of the most famous and accomplished women in science and mathematics. While the number of women in math and other STEM disciplines today is still small compared to the amount of men, it is important to realize that women can achieve just as much as men can, because gender does not determine intelligence, skill, or aptitude. Keep reading to learn about some inspiring ladies!

Throwback Fact: Ada Lovelace and the Analytical Engine

Portrait of Ada Lovelace
image: commons.wikimedia.org

Ada Lovelace was born in London, England in 1815 to a poet father and math-loving mother. After her father left the family when she was just four, Ada’s mother raised her on a strict regiment of science, logic, and mathematics. Due to this she developed an early love for machines and technology, a passion that would lead her down a path of scientific discovery. 

Relationship with Charles Babbage:

In 1833, at around seventeen, Lovelace was introduced to Charles Babbage, a mathematician and inventor who was famous for his work with calculating machines. Babbage became a mentor to Lovelace who was captivated by his innovative work. Soon, Babbage would ask Lovelace to work with him on his newest invention called the Analytical Engine, which was meant to perform mathematical calculations just like a computer.

Lovelace’s Work:

Babbage asked Lovelace to translate an article on the analytical machine written by Italian engineer Luigi Federico Menabrea. While translating the text from French to English, she also added her own thoughts and ideas on the machine. She theorized that the machine could repeat a series of instruction, a process known as “looping” that is still used today by computer programmers. She also created codes so that the device could handle numbers, letters, and symbols. Due to these findings and theories, Lovelace is often considered the first computer programmer. 

Lovelace’s Legacy:

Ada Lovelace envisioned a world where machines would be an integral part of human imagination. At the time, these ideas where dismissed by the scientific community because they were too difficult to comprehend. Just like many other visionaries of her era, only time and knowledge could lead to the acceptance of her work. In the 1970’s, engineers at the United States Department of Defense, inspired by her work on the calculation of Bernoulli numbers, named a computer programing language Ada in her honor. Today, Lovelace also serves as an inspiration to many women in the STEM fields, who see her as a visionary who lived before her time. They celebrate Ada Lovelace Day on the second Tuesday of October in her honor. 

Sources: 1, 2