One of my favorite Facebook communities is Women in Maths -- a group energized by Susanne Pumpluen at the University of Nottingham and a site that consistently offers must-read items concerning math-women. One of the important blogs on my reading list is the American Mathematical Society Blog, inclusion/exclusion -- a diverse group of bloggers, headed by Adriana Salerno that discuss issues pertaining to marginalized and underrepresented groups in mathematics. A February posting by Piper Harron focuses attention on the question "What does it feel like not to belong?" -- treating exclusion issues with important frankness. As someone who felt uncomfortable without speaking out about it, I admire Harron's expression of her views.
For a poetic comment on this situation I turn to the final stanza of a poem of mine about Emmy Noether, a verse that illustrates the oft-repeated habit of praise that actually is a put-down.
Today, history books proclaim that Noether
is the greatest mathematician
her sex has produced. They say she was good
for a woman.
Readers interested in reading a bit more are invited to visit my 2017 article in the online Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, "They Say She Was Good for a Woman: Poetry and Musings."
Showing posts sorted by date for query emmy noether. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query emmy noether. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2018
Tuesday, January 16, 2018
Blog history -- title, links for previous posts . . .
My first posting in this blog was nearly eight years ago (on March 23, 2010). If, at the time, I had anticipated its duration, I should have made a plan for organizing the posts. But my ambitions were small. During the time I was teaching mathematics at Bloomsburg University, I gathered poetry (and various historical materials) for assigned readings to enrich the students' course experiences. After my retirement, I had time to want to share these materials -- others were doing well at making historical material accessible to students but I thought poetry linked to mathematics needed to be shared more. And so, with my posting of a poem I had written long ago celebrating the mathematical life of Emmy Noether, this blog began. Particular topics featured often in postings include -- verse that celebrate women, verses that speak out against discrimination, verses that worry about climate change.
You're invited to:Scroll through the titles below, browsing to find items of interest
among the more-than-nine-hundred postings since March 2010
OR
Click on any label -- a list is found in the right-hand column below the author profile
OR
Enter term(s) in the SEARCH box -- and find all posts containing those terms.
For example, here is a link to the results of a SEARCH using math women
And here is a link to a poem by Brian McCabe that celebrates math-woman Sophie Germain.
This link reaches a poem by Joan Cannon that laments her math-anxiety.
This poem expresses some of my own divided feelings.
2017 Posts
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Alice's Adventures in Numberland
Recently I was alerted to some postings by Alice Silverberg -- she is a professor of mathematics and computer science at the University of California at Irvine and she is has made outstanding contributions to the field of Cryptography. AND Silverberg has recently written down (at this link) some of her adventures as a math-woman. She has entitled them "Alice's Adventures in Numberland" and she offers an email address for readers' comments. ALSO here are links to two of my earlier postings featuring Alice Silverberg and poetry: "A Quantum Romance" by Adam Rulli-Gibbs and several syllable snowballs.
As a recent film featuring NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson,
points out, math-women often are:
Hidden figures:
women no one
notices are
changing the world.
Although not mathematical, "Diving into the Wreck"
by Adrienne Rich (1929-2012) also is relevant here.
Here is a link to an important article by Judy Green, "How Many Women Mathematicians Can You Name?" Green, now an emeritus professor at Marymount University, opens her article (first published in Math Horizons in 2001) with the admission that until her last undergraduate semester the only female mathematician she could name is Emmy Noether. Green's article, and a book she has co-written (with Jeanne LaDuke) and its companion website, help to remedy such situations for others. There are many important math women to know!
AND, if you still have time after exploring the links above,
please visit my article (with poetry) "They Say She Was Good -- for a Woman,"
published July 2017 in the online Journal of Humanistic Mathematics.
Labels:
Alice Silverberg,
Judy Green,
Katherine Johnson
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
They Say She Was Good -- for a Woman
Regulars to this blog know of my appreciation and support for the Journal of Humanistic Mathematics -- an online journal that publishes poetry and fiction as well as articles that link the arts with mathematics. Bravo to editors Gizem Karaali and Mark Huber -- a new issue (Vol. 7, Issue 2) has come online today.
I am honored to announce that my article, "They Say She Was Good -- for a Woman," -- a collection of poems and musings about women in mathematics (and featuring a poem about Emmy Noether) -- is part of the current issue.
Other key items in this issue of JHM that I have already found time to enjoy include a visual poem of geometry and numbers by Sara Katz, a collection of poems about "infinity" by Pam Lewis, a review of poetry anthologies by Robin Chapman, a call (deadline, 11/1/17) for "mathematical" Haiku; a call (deadline 1/1/2018) for papers on mathematics and motherhood. Go to the Table of Contents and enjoy it ALL.
I am honored to announce that my article, "They Say She Was Good -- for a Woman," -- a collection of poems and musings about women in mathematics (and featuring a poem about Emmy Noether) -- is part of the current issue.
Monday, April 3, 2017
Math-Stat Awareness Month -- find a poem!
APRIL is Mathematics and Statistics Awareness Month
AND
National Poetry Month!
Celebrate with a MATHY POEM, found here in this blog! Scroll down!
AND
National Poetry Month!
Celebrate with a MATHY POEM, found here in this blog! Scroll down!
If you are looking for mathy poems on a particular topic, the SEARCH box in the right-column may help you find them. For example, here is a link to posts found when I searched using the term "parallel." And here are posts that include the term "angle." To find a list of additional useful search terms, scroll down the right-hand column.
For your browsing pleasure, here are the titles and dates of previous blog postings,
moving backward from the present. Enjoy!
Mar 31 Math and poetry in filmMar 28 Split this Rock, Freedom Plow Award, April 21
Mar 27 Math-themed poems at Poets.org
Mar 23 Remember Emmy Noether!
Thursday, March 23, 2017
Remember Emmy Noether!
On today's date in 1882, mathematician Emmy Noether (1882-1935) was born. Noether became fixed in my attention when, recently out of college, I saw her photo in a display at the New York World's Fair. Her life and her pioneering work became inspiration for me as I followed her in mathematics. I wrote a poem, "My Dance is Mathematics," in her honor; it begins with these words:
They called you der Noether, as if mathematics
was only for men. In 1964, nearly thirty years
past your death, I saw you in a spotlight
in a World's Fair mural, "Men of Modern Mathematics."
The complete poem, "My Dance is Mathematics," is available here. Its final statement is:
Scroll down -- or follow this link -- to still more poems that celebrate the women of mathematics.
They called you der Noether, as if mathematics
was only for men. In 1964, nearly thirty years
past your death, I saw you in a spotlight
in a World's Fair mural, "Men of Modern Mathematics."
The complete poem, "My Dance is Mathematics," is available here. Its final statement is:
They say she was good / For a woman.
Scroll down -- or follow this link -- to still more poems that celebrate the women of mathematics.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Honor Math-Women ...
The first math-woman that inspired me was Laura Church; the first famous math-woman (someone with a theorem named after her) whom I came to admire -- and write a poem about -- was Emmy Noether (1882-1935). As a recent film featuring NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson, points out, math-women are:
Hidden figures:
women no one
notices are
changing the world.
Other living mathematicians who deserve to be more well-known include:
Maryam Mirzakhani,
an Iranian mathematician at Stanford who in 2014 won the prestigious Fields Medal for her work related to the symmetry of curved surfaces.Moon Duchin, a Tufts University professor who is using geometry to fight gerrymandering.
Cathy O'Neil, a data scientist (and blogger at mathbabe.org) whose recent book Weapons of Math Destruction helps readers to understand the roles (and threats) of big data in our society.
TODAY is the International Women's Day!
Celebrate the day by getting to know some math-women. Try for ten. Learn their names, read their bios. Here are two websites that can help:
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
December 2016 (and prior) -- titles, dates of posts
Here are the titles and dates of previous blog postings,
moving backward from the present.
For mathy poems related to a particular mathy topic -- such as women in math or climate or triangle or circle or teacher or . . . -- click on a selected title below or enter the desired term in the SEARCH box in the right-hand column. For example, here is a link to a selection of poems found using the pair of search terms "women equal." For poems about calculus, follow this link. To find a list of useful search terms, scroll down the right-hand column.
Dec 31 Happy New Year! -- Resolve to REWARD WOMEN!
Dec 27 Celebrate Vera Rubin -- a WOMAN of science!
Dec 26 Post-Christmas reflections from W. H. Auden
Dec 19 Numbers for Christmas . . .
Dec 15 Remembering Thomas Schelling (1921-2016)
Dec 12 When one isn't enough ... words from a Cuban poet
Dec 31 Happy New Year! -- Resolve to REWARD WOMEN!
Dec 27 Celebrate Vera Rubin -- a WOMAN of science!
Dec 26 Post-Christmas reflections from W. H. Auden
Dec 19 Numbers for Christmas . . .
Dec 15 Remembering Thomas Schelling (1921-2016)
Dec 12 When one isn't enough ... words from a Cuban poet
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Women in Mathematics Count!
The theme for 2016 Mathematics Awareness Month is "The Future of Prediction." And today I am wondering what date can be predicted for when the achievements of women in mathematics will be recognized with the same awareness as those of men.
How many female mathematicians can you name?
Here are links to two articles to to help you lengthen your list of math-women: "12 Brilliant Female Mathematicians You Should Know" -- an article by Olivia Harrison whose list starts with Hypatia (who lived around 400 AD) and continues to the 21st century, featuring Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian mathematician at Stanford who in 2014 won the prestigious Fields Medal for her work related to the symmetry of curved surfaces. Judy Green adds important names in her article "How Many Women Mathematicians Can You Name?"For still more, visit my 2015 post "The culture for women in math and the sciences"; additionally, a search of this blog using "math women" will lead to a host of names and links. Enjoy!
Here are the closing lines of a poem of mine about the brilliant mathematician, Emmy Noether (1883-1935):
In spite of Emmy's talents,
always there were reasons
not to give her rank
or permanent employment.
She's a pacifist, a woman.
She's a woman and a Jew.
Her abstract thinking
is female and abstruse.
Today, history books proclaim that Noether
is the greatest mathematician
her sex has produced. They say she was good
for a woman.
The full poem is available here.
Monday, March 21, 2016
World Poetry Day -- Celebrate favorites!
Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
2015 (and prior) -- titles, dates, links for posts
If you wish to easily BROWSE past postings . . .
Scroll
down to find titles and dates and links to postings in 2015.
OR follow these year-number links to go to lists of posts through 2014, 2013, 2012 and 2011 -- and all the way back to March 2010 when this blog was begun. At the top of the column to the right is a SEARCH box for the blog and this link leads to a PDF file of searchable topics and names of poets and mathematicians presented herein. Scrolling down the right-hand column leads to a partial list of LABELS that are linked to a list of blogs that contain them.
Dec 31 Precision leads to poetry . . .
Dec 28 Can a woman learn science (or mathematics)?
Dec 24 And now welcome Christmas . . .
Dec 22 Let us not forget . . .
Dec 20 Who put the pie in Pythagoras?
Dec 18 A student writes poetry for a math class . . .
Dec 15 Generalized Pythagorean Theorem--a visual poem?
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
The culture for women in math and the sciences
Perhaps the phrase "ordinary" women scientists is an oxymoron -- but it should not be. Women should be free to populate the full range of aspiration and dedication to science or any other profession. In this spirit, I offer below the opening lines of a thought-provoking poem, "Ordinary Women Scientists," by science writer and poet Mary Alexandra Agner,
from the excellent and important anthology Raising Lilly Ledbetter: Women Poets Occupy the Workspace.
from Ordinary Women Scientists by Mary Alexandra Agner
for R.C.
leave the lab late, flasks washed and waiting,
computer on an overnight crunch job,
warm dinner in the microwave
while wondering at excited water molecules,
wave their kids goodnight, grateful
Here are links to several recent items about math-women:
This link leads to a young mathematician's view of being "a female role model."
Here is a report of a panel at Harvard discussing roles of women in mathematics.
Here is a link to the Women in Maths Facebook page where visitors
may post information and offer support for math women.
This link leads to my poem celebrating Emmy Noether. Here we celebrate Caroline Herschel.
Here at mathblogging.org is a place to find all sorts of math-links.
from Ordinary Women Scientists by Mary Alexandra Agner
for R.C.
leave the lab late, flasks washed and waiting,
computer on an overnight crunch job,
warm dinner in the microwave
while wondering at excited water molecules,
wave their kids goodnight, grateful
Labels:
Lilly Ledbetter,
Mary Alexandra Agner,
math,
ordinary,
poem,
poet,
scientists,
women
Monday, March 23, 2015
March 23 -- Emmy Noether's birthday
Today, March 23, 2015, Google celebrates the 133rd birthday of mathematician Emmy Noether. In support of the celebration here is a link to "My Dance is Mathematics," a poem I wrote to honor this pioneering mathematician. I hope that celebrations of Noether and other math-women will help to create a world in which these lines from my poem about her are no longer true:
If a woman's dance is mathematics,
she dances alone.
If a woman's dance is mathematics,
she dances alone.
Monday, February 25, 2013
One of the best -- and a woman
Women in mathematics have not been much-written-about. This blog has made a few corrective efforts and more are needed. Perhaps change is beginning -- for March is Women's History Month and the 2013 theme is:
Penn State University philosophy professor and poet Emily Grosholz uses mathematics not-infrequently in her work (for example, this posting of mine) and she has written (as I have) about discrimination suffered by mathematician Amalie "Emmy" Noether -- described by the NYTimes in a March 2012 article as "the most significant mathematician you've never heard of." My own poem about Noether was a poem of self-discovery in which I wrote of discrimination against her and began to see aspects of my own situation more clearly. That poem, "My Dance Is Mathematics," appears in this blog's opening post -- on 23 March 2012.
Here, Emmy Noether is featured in Grosholz's poem, "Mind":
Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination:
Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Penn State University philosophy professor and poet Emily Grosholz uses mathematics not-infrequently in her work (for example, this posting of mine) and she has written (as I have) about discrimination suffered by mathematician Amalie "Emmy" Noether -- described by the NYTimes in a March 2012 article as "the most significant mathematician you've never heard of." My own poem about Noether was a poem of self-discovery in which I wrote of discrimination against her and began to see aspects of my own situation more clearly. That poem, "My Dance Is Mathematics," appears in this blog's opening post -- on 23 March 2012.
Here, Emmy Noether is featured in Grosholz's poem, "Mind":
Labels:
discrimination,
Emily Grosholz,
Emmy Noether,
math-women,
mathematician,
mathematics,
philosophy,
poem,
woman,
women
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
2012 posts -- titles and links
Scroll down to find titles and dates of posts in 2012 -- and, at the bottom, links to posts all the way back through 2011 to March 2010 when this blog was begun. This link leads to a PDF file that lists searchable topics and names of poets and mathematicians presented herein.
Dec 30 A chance encounter
Dec 28 Explorers
Dec 25 Support STREET SENSE
Dec 24 Star, shine bright!
Dec 21 Skating (with math) on Christmas
Dec 30 A chance encounter
Dec 28 Explorers
Dec 25 Support STREET SENSE
Dec 24 Star, shine bright!
Dec 21 Skating (with math) on Christmas
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Math-women -- snowballing . . .
These syllable-snowball poems (increasing by one syllable from line to line)
note a few of the (living) math-women I admire.
note a few of the (living) math-women I admire.
They are modest offerings --
not great poetry nor fully recognizing many accomplishments--
not great poetry nor fully recognizing many accomplishments--
but I want to start a ball rolling:
look around you and notice the amazing math-women.
look around you and notice the amazing math-women.
Saturday, July 14, 2012
More of Hypatia -- brave, smart woman
Poet and blogger Ellen Moody offers a lively and informative feature on poet Elizabeth Tollett (1694-1754); Tollett, too, wrote of forebears she admired, including Hypatia (c. 370 C. E. - 415 C.E.) -- who has been described as the first woman to make a substantial contribution to mathematics. In contrast with Anne Harding Woodworth's focus on the tortured death of Hypatia, Tollett's lines portray the struggles of her life.
What cruel laws depress the female kind,
To humble cares and servile tasks confined!
In gilded toys their florid bloom to spend,
And empty glories that in age must end;
For amorous youth to spread the artful snares,
And by their triumphs to enlarge their cares.
Labels:
discrimination,
Elizabeth Tollett,
Ellen Moody,
Hypatia,
mathematical,
mathematician,
mathematics,
poem,
poetry,
torture,
woman
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Seeking poems about math-women
In this blog I have previously posted poems that speak of the lives of these math-women:
Sophie Germain (1776-1831)
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
Amalie "Emmy" Noether (1882-1935)
Grace Murray Hopper (1906 - 1988)
And also a poem about four influential teachers of mine; three of them math-people; three of them women.
I want more poems about women in mathematics;
send me yours (or those of others) --
write new ones; CELEBRATE women in mathematics:
send me yours (or those of others) --
write new ones; CELEBRATE women in mathematics:
women who are alive or ones that have passed;
women of fame or those without;
women out in front or those in quiet corners --
women we want to remember.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Sophie Germain dressed as a man to study math
One of the fine sources for biographies and other topics in the history of mathematics is MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, hosted by the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Poet Brian McCabe cites this archive for historical information he used as background for his poems starring mathematicians -- found in his collection, Zero (Polygon, 2009). Here is McCabe's poem for the outstanding French mathematician, Sophie Germain (1776-1831).
Labels:
Archimedes,
Brian McCabe,
calculus,
elastic,
girl,
MacTutor,
mathematics,
Poisson,
Sophie Germain,
Under the Microscope,
woman,
zero
Monday, June 11, 2012
Think Like a Man
To publish mathematics,
a woman must learn to think
like a man, learn to write like
a man, to use only her
initials so reviewers
guess she's a man! Women must
masquerade, pretend man-think --
or can we build
new attitudes,
so all of us
have fair chances?! ("Square Attitudes" by JoAnne Growney)
Labels:
Jeanne LaDuke,
Judy Green,
MAA,
man,
Math Horizons,
mathematician,
mathematics,
poem,
publication,
square,
think,
woman,
women
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