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

UNSW Sydney

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

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.

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.

To keep in touch in between newsletters, follow @wimsigAU on Twitter.