(2023) Top Female Mathematicians of the World

Maryna Sergiivna Viazovska

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Born in Ukraine, Maryna Sergiivna Viazovska has established herself as a prominent mathematician, particularly renowned for her groundbreaking contributions to sphere packing. Her exceptional work has earned her numerous accolades and recognition within the mathematical community. In 2016, Viazovska was honored with the prestigious Salem Prize for her remarkable achievements. The following year, she received both the Clay Research Award and the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, solidifying her position as one of the most influential mathematicians of her generation. Currently, Viazovska holds the esteemed position of a full professor at the Chair of Number Theory at the Institute of Mathematics of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland. Through her research and academic pursuits, Viazovska continues to push the boundaries of mathematical knowledge, expanding our understanding of sphere packing and its connections to modular forms. Her contributions have not only advanced the field of mathematics but have also inspired aspiring mathematicians worldwide. Maryna Sergiivna Viazovska’s expertise, dedication, and relentless pursuit of mathematical excellence have positioned her as a respected figure in the mathematical community and a role model for future generations of mathematicians

 Nalini Joshi

 

Nalini Joshi AO is a distinguished Australian mathematician renowned for her significant contributions to the field. Currently serving as a professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Sydney, she holds the distinction of being the first woman in the School to hold this position. Joshi has also served as the past-president of the Australian Mathematical Society, further solidifying her influential role in the mathematical community. Her research primarily focuses on integrable systems, and she is a valued member of the School’s Applied Mathematics Research Group. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Joshi was honored with the Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship in 2012. She has also been elected as the Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union, marking her as the first Australian to hold this prestigious position.

Nalini Joshi spent her childhood in Burma, where she had the freedom to explore the jungles and cultivate her love for adventure and exploration. Her passion for mathematics stems from this sense of discovery, as she strives to forge new paths into uncharted territories of mathematical knowledge.

Joshi completed her education at Fort Street High School and obtained her Bachelor of Science with honors from the University of Sydney in 1980. She then pursued her PhD at Princeton University under the guidance of Martin David Kruskal. Her doctoral thesis, titled “The Connection Problem for the First and Second Painlevé Transcendents,” showcased her expertise and laid the foundation for her illustrious career.

Throughout her career, Joshi has held various academic positions at renowned institutions. She embarked on her journey as a mathematician with a postdoctoral fellowship at the Australian National University in 1987, followed by a research fellowship and lectureship at the same institution from 1988 to 1990. She then joined the University of New South Wales, Sydney, as a lectureship and was promoted to senior lecturer in 1994. In 1997, she won an Australian Research Council (ARC) senior research fellowship and became an associate professor/reader at the University of Adelaide. In 2002, she assumed the role of Chair of Applied Mathematics at the University of Sydney and later became the director of the Centre for Mathematical Biology in 2006. Her exemplary leadership led her to serve as the head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics from 2007 to 2009, followed by the position of associate head from 2010 onwards.

In addition to her remarkable contributions to mathematics, Joshi is also dedicated to promoting gender equity in STEM fields. In 2015, she co-founded and co-chaired the Science in Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) program, which strives to enhance women’s retention in STEM by implementing the principles of Athena SWAN. She has also served as a member of the SAGE Expert Advisory Group since 2016.

Nalini Joshi’s accomplishments have been widely recognized and honored. She was elected as a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science in 2008 and has held several prestigious positions within the Australian Mathematical Society. In 2012, she became a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellow, embarking on a five-year project titled “Geometric Construction of Critical Solutions of Nonlinear Systems.” She delivered the 150th Anniversary Hardy Lecture by the London Mathematical Society in 2015 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New South Wales. In 2016, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia, and in 2018, she was elected as the vice-president of the International Mathematical Union. Joshi’s commitment to excellence in mathematics was recognized once again in 2019 when she received the NSW Premier’s Prize for “Excellence in Mathematics, Earth Sciences, Chemistry, or Physics.” In 2020, she was awarded the George Sz

• Born: Yangon, Myanmar
• Nationality: Australian
• Alma mater: Princeton University
• Known for: Research in integrable systems
• Awards:
  • Georgina Sweet Fellowship (2012)
• Scientific career:
  • Fields: Mathematics, integrable systems
  • Institutions:
    • University of Sydney
    • University of Adelaide
    • University of New South Wales
• Thesis: “The Connection Problem for the First and Second Painlevé Transcendents” (1987)
• Doctoral advisor: Martin David Kruskal

 

Grace Alele Williams

 

Grace Alele-Williams OON, FMAN, FNAE (16 December 1932 – 25 March 2022) was a distinguished Nigerian professor known for her contributions to mathematics education. She holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian woman to earn a doctorate and to serve as a female vice-chancellor at the University of Benin. Born Grace Awani Alele to Itsekiri parents in Warri, Nigeria, she attended Government School in Warri, Queen’s College in Lagos, and the University College of Ibadan (now University of Ibadan). Alele-Williams obtained her master’s degree in mathematics while teaching at Queen’s School in Ede, Osun State, in 1957. She went on to earn her PhD in mathematics education at the University of Chicago in 1963, becoming the first Nigerian woman to achieve this milestone. During her career, Alele-Williams served as a mathematics teacher, professor, and director of the Institute of Education. She was known for her dedication to women’s education and her efforts to increase access for female African students in scientific and technological subjects. Alele-Williams played a vital role in the development of education in Nigeria through her involvement in various committees and boards. In 1985, she became the first female vice-chancellor of a Nigerian university when she was appointed to the University of Benin. Alele-Williams made significant contributions to the reform of higher education and successfully addressed the challenges posed by secret cults and confraternities within Nigerian universities. After her tenure as vice-chancellor, she served on the board of directors of Chevron-Texaco Nigeria and the board of HIP Asset Management Company Limited. Alele-Williams received numerous awards and honors throughout her career, including the Order of the Niger, and she was recognized as a Fellow of the Mathematical Association of Nigeria and the Nigerian Academy of Education. She passed away on 25 March 2022 at the age of 89, leaving behind a legacy of groundbreaking achievements and contributions to mathematics education.

• Date of Birth: 16 December 1932
• Place of Birth: Warri, Western Region, Nigeria
• Died: 25 March 2022 (aged 89)
• Place of Death: Lagos, Nigeria
• Education: PhD in mathematics
• Alma Mater: University College of Ibadan, University of Chicago
• Spouse: Babatunde Abraham Williams
  • Marriage: 1963
  • Husband’s Death: 2010

Sun-Yung Alice Chang

Sun-Yung Alice Chang is a Taiwanese American mathematician renowned for her expertise in mathematical analysis, including harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, and differential geometry. She currently holds the position of Eugene Higgins Professor of Mathematics at Princeton University.

Life: Chang was born in Xian, China in 1948 and spent her childhood in Taiwan. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from National Taiwan University in 1970, followed by a doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley in 1974. Her doctoral research focused on the study of bounded analytic functions. Chang began her academic career as a full professor at UCLA in 1980 before joining Princeton University in 1998.

Career and Research: Chang’s research interests revolve around the study of geometric types of nonlinear partial differential equations and problems in isospectral geometry. Collaborating with her husband Paul Yang and other scholars, she has made significant contributions to the field of differential equations, particularly in relation to geometry and topology. Since 1998, she has been teaching at Princeton University, and prior to that, she held visiting positions at the University of California, Berkeley, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, N.J., and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2015, she served as a visiting professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

In a 2004 interview by Yu Kiang Leong for Creative Minds, Charmed Lives: Interviews at the Institute for Mathematical Sciences, National University of Singapore, Chang expressed the importance of allowing researchers to pursue their work in their own unique ways. She highlighted that mathematical research is not limited to a purely scientific approach, as the nature of mathematics often resonates with art. Chang emphasized the need to appreciate individual character and diverse approaches to problem-solving, promoting both individual and collaborative research.

Chang’s life was featured in the documentary film “Girls who fell in love with Math” in 2017, showcasing her inspiring journey and contributions.

Service and Honors: Throughout her career, Chang has been recognized for her outstanding contributions and dedication to mathematics. Her notable honors and service include:

• Sloan Foundation Research Fellowship (1979-1981)
• Invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Berkeley (1986)
• Vice president of the American Mathematical Society (1989-1991)
• Ruth Lyttle Satter Prize in Mathematics of the American Mathematical Society (1995)
• Guggenheim Fellowship (1998)
• Plenary Speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Beijing (2002)
• Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2008)
• Honorary Degree from UPMC (2013)
• Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences (2009)
• Fellow of Academia Sinica (2012)
• Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2015)
• Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics (2019)
• MSRI Simons Professor (2015-2016)

• Born: 1948
• Birthplace: Xian, China
• Nationality: American
• Other names: Alice Chang
• Alma mater:
  • National Taiwan University
  • University of California, Berkeley
• Spouse: Paul C. Yang
• Fields: Mathematics
• Institutions:
  • University of California, Los Angeles
  • Princeton University
• Doctoral advisor: Donald Sarason