WIMSIG NEWSLETTER — March 2020
Congratulations to Jennifer Flegg
WIMSIG Secretary Jennifer Flegg (Melbourne) has been awarded the 2020 Christopher Heyde Medal from the Australian Academy of Science. Congratulations Jen!
Q&A with female plenary speakers at ANZIAM 2020
Check out the WIMSIG Q&A with the female plenary speakers at the recent ANZIAM 2020 conference: Ami Radunskaya, Elizabeth Bradley, and Jennifer Flegg.
International Women in Mathematics Day
May 12 is International Women in Mathematics Day (IWMD), in honour of the birthday of Maryam Mirzakhani: https://may12.womeninmaths.org/. In 2019, the inaugural year of IWMD, there were at least twenty events celebrating women in mathematics in Australia on or around this date. We would like to continue this momentum. ACEMS has generously provided (a limited amount of) funding to support IWMD events in 2020, to be administered by WIMSIG.
To apply for funding, please send a brief description of the proposed event and a budget to Valentina Wheeler at WIMSIG-treasurer@women.austms.org.au. The deadline is Friday 20 March, 2020. Late applications may be considered if funding remains.
For ideas, see https://may12.womeninmaths.org/#ideas. Last year, there were events ranging from morning teas to panel discussions to full day multi-institutional mini-conferences. You can read more about some of these events at https://austms.org.au/special-interest-groups/wimsig/wimsig-news/wimsig-newsletter-june-2019/.
Even if you don’t apply for funding, WIMSIG would love to hear what you are planning. Please send a brief description of your event to WIMSIG-secretary@women.austms.org.au.
Gender Gap in Science Book
The Gender Gap is Science Project was a major undertaking by two french scientists, Colette Guillopé, and Marie-Françoise Roy, in partnership with many scientific bodies including the International Mathematical Union. The report is available for download at https://gendergapinscience.files.wordpress.com/2020/02/final_report_20200204.pdf .
EVENTS
Women in Mathematics Day Event at Western Sydney University
Western Sydney University is running an event for Women in Mathematics Day.
- Thursday 14 May at 4:00pm–7:30pm
- Female Orphan School, Parramatta Campus
Program: Screening of the new film “Secrets of the Surface: The Mathematical Vision of Maryam Mirzakhani” – http://www.zalafilms.com/secrets/.
Invited Speakers:
- Luci Ellis (Reserve Bank of Australia)
- Julia Collins (Edith Cowan University)
- Mary Myerscough (University of Sydney)
- Rosalind Wang (Western Sydney University)
WIMSIG Conference 2020
The WIMSIG Conference 2020 is a Celebration of Women in Australian Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, showcasing the research of women. Research presentations will be given across several topics in the mathematical and statistical sciences. We are seeking expressions of interest to help organise special sessions. We are also seeking expressions of interest to present in the special sessions. Please complete the form below to register your interest.
- SAVE THE DATE: September 30 – October 2, 2020
- Monash University, Clayton Campus, Melbourne, Australia
- Call for Expressions of Interest: https://forms.gle/55dhKJ2r79Sq3C2XA (open until Friday 13 March 2020)
OPPORTUNITIES
The University of Adelaide
- Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Mathematics (3yrs with possible continuation)
— Closing date: Tuesday 17 March, 2020 - Lecturer in Applied Mathematics (fixed term, 4yrs)
— Closing date: Tuesday 10 March, 2020 - 2 x Grant Funded Researcher (A) – School of Mathematical Sciences (fixed term, 2yrs)
— Closing date: Sunday 15 March, 2020
UNSW Sydney
- 4 x Research Data Scientist – Level A/B (fixed term, 2yrs)
— Closing date: Tuesday 24 March, 2020 - Lecturer in Data Science (5yrs, tenure track)
— Closing date: Wednesday 11 March, 2020 - Research Associate in Mathematics (fixed term, 2yrs)
— Closing date: Thursday 16 April, 2020
Cheryl E. Praeger Travel and Anne Penfold Street Awards
The 12th round of the AustMS WIMSIG Cheryl E. Praeger Travel Awards and Anne Penfold Street Awards is now open and will close on April 1, 2020. The Cheryl E. Praeger Travel Awards are designed to provide full or partial support for Australian female mathematicians to attend conferences or to visit collaborators. The Anne Penfold Street Awards provide additional financial support to Australian mathematicians, regardless of gender, for their caring responsibilities while they travel for conferences or research visits to collaborators. Also note that conference organisers may apply for Anne Penfold Street Awards.
Further information and application forms are available at https://austms.org.au/special-interest-groups/wimsig/praeger-travel-awards/ and https://austms.org.au/special-interest-groups/wimsig/penfold-street-awards/.
Maryam Mirzakhani Award
The 2nd round of the Maryam Mirzakhani Award is now open and will close on April 1, 2020. This award honours the late Prof Maryam Mirzakhani (Fields Medallist) and is designed to support international female students pursuing a postgraduate degree in mathematics in Australia. An application form and further information is available on the Awards page.
MEDIA
- ‘Death by a thousand cuts’: women of colour in science face a subtly hostile work environment, The Conversation — Feb 11, 2020
- Gender diversity in science media still has a long way to go. Here’s a 5-step plan to move it along, The Conversation — Feb 26, 2020
Katherine Johnson (NASA mathematician) died on the 24th of February at the age of 101. Katherine was one of the three NASA mathematicians whose story was depicted in the 2016 film Hidden Figures. In the past week, many articles have been written paying tribute to Katherine Johnson and her colleagues, whose work was essential to the success of NASA’s missions.
- 7 lessons from ‘Hidden Figures’ NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson’s life and career, The Conversation — Feb 27, 2020
- Katherine Johnson: NASA mathematician and much-needed role model, The Conversation — Feb 26, 2020
- Katherine Johnson Dies at 101; Mathematician Broke Barriers at NASA, The New York Times — Feb 24, 2020
Have you read an interesting article? Have some news? Have an opportunity available?
Please send items to WIMSIG-news@women.austms.org.au.
Note: Newsletters are published on the 1st day of each month (or soon after). The deadline for submitted items is the 27th day of each month.
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