ABSTRACT
However, the way the “old boys’ network” operated inspired many mathematicians to raise questions at Council meetings and more generally. Results were often discouraging. To the notion of introducing blind-refereeing of AMS publications, the response from our distinguished colleagues was, “But how would we know the paper was any good if we didn’t know who wrote it?” Outside Council premises at a national mathematics meeting a well-known algebraist mused, “We once hired a woman, but her research wasn’t very good.” Faced with such attitudes about women in mathematics, a group of us founded the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). In the 40+ years of its existence, AWM has grown to thousands of members from around the world (about 15% of whom are men) and has established many travel grant
and fellowship programs to encourage women and girls to study mathematics and to support those in the profession. Prizes are awarded by AWM for the research of established mathematicians and undergraduates and for teaching. Through grant support from NSF, NSA, other foundations and individuals the organization supports “Sonya Kovalevskaya Days” for high school and middle school students at institutions throughout the country, events designed to involve the participants in hands-on activities, to present a broad view of the world of mathematics, and to encourage a sense of comradeship with others who might be interested in mathematics.
