International Women in Mathematics Day marks the legacy of Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman awarded the Fields Medal - the most prestigious award in mathematics. Celebrated annually on May 12, it calls attention to the women building on Mirzakhani's legacy today.
At the University of Queensland's School of Mathematics and Physics, that work is visible in teaching, research and in the community. For the women leading this work, their love for Mathematics started as young girls.
The path to PhDs
Associate Professor Barbara Maenhaut, Head of Mathematics, traces her path directly back to school with mathematics being her favourite subject. She found herself naturally gravitating toward helping classmates who struggled with it, an instinct that would eventually shape her teaching career.
"I went on to do a PhD in mathematics, which then led me to a career in academia where I am lucky to be able to combine my love of mathematics with my love of teaching,” Dr Maenhaut said.
Dr Maenhaut now leads research in graph theory and design theory, fields that sound abstract but carry real impact. Her work in combinatorics has been applied to data storage systems and to optimising journey planning across public transport networks.
Professor Cecilia Gonzalez-Tokman’s relationship with mathematics deepened during her high school years, when she began to see it not just as a subject but as a lens for understanding the world.
"While I didn't necessarily think I would become a mathematician at the time, I did see mathematics as a strong career choice," she said.
That pragmatic appreciation for the discipline evolved into research that focuses on random dynamical systems, where she now leads a group investigating and modelling how complex systems behave under uncertainty.
Dr Meagan Carney's entry into mathematics was less linear. Her love for the subject grew gradually, shaped by curiosity until she discovered the way mathematics could be applied to problems that truly mattered.
"It grew out of that curiosity rather than a clear direction. I was drawn to problems where the stakes felt real."
That instinct led her to research some of the most pressing challenges of our time like extreme weather events, energy systems under stress, and infectious disease dynamics during COVID-19.
Inspiring the next generation of female mathematicians
Alongside research, UQ's female mathematicians are shaping how the next generation discover, understand and interpret the world of mathematics.
Associate Professor Poh Wah Hillock, the recipient of eight teaching awards including the 2022 Australian University Teacher of the Year, aims to inspire young girls and women to see the magic in maths through her teaching.
"I try to make maths accessible, relevant, and exciting. That sense of excitement is especially important to me - I want students to see that maths is a beautiful subject in its own right, and worth studying for its own sake," said Dr Hillock.
“I hope my teaching inspires young girls and women to see that mathematics is something they can belong in and enjoy.”
Having female representation in the classroom is especially important for young women studying STEM.
“When you don't see yourself reflected, for example in your lecturers, in the problems being studied, in what's considered prestigious, it's easy to conclude you're a guest rather than someone who belongs there,” Dr Carney said.
Shifting the culture
The UQ women teaching and researching mathematics have become the living proof that the culture is shifting, and a new generation of mathematicians is reshaping the perception of the discipline and how it’s applied.
But there is still work to be done.
Despite this progress, structural and cultural barriers remain. Women make up approximately 28% of Australia's STEM workforce, with significant underrepresentation in senior roles and a gender pay gap of around 14%, according to the STEM Equity Monitor.
Now, more than ever, visibility matters.
“Research suggests that many students, including women in math-related fields, respond positively to role models they perceive as similar to themselves,” said Dr Gonzalez-Tokman.
For young girls or students who love maths but feel they don’t belong, there is one clear message: there’s a place for you.
“I didn't look like what I thought a mathematician was supposed to look like, and for a long time I assumed that meant I'd eventually be found out as someone who had wandered into the wrong room,” said Dr Carney.
“I wasn't. And neither are you.
“Some of the most important mathematics being done right now is applied, urgent, and deeply human. There's a place for you in it.”
Recognition and momentum
UQ has been awarded its third SAGE Cygnet Award, recognising sustained, evidence-based action to improve career progression for academic women and embed equity into promotion and leadership pathways.
UQ is working towards achieving a Silver Accreditation.
It is a marker of institutional commitment, and a signal that the work of women like Maenhaut, Gonzalez-Tokman, Carney, Hillock is both seen and valued.
UQ women in mathematics prove that ability isn’t defined by gender.
The future for women in mathematics has never been stronger.
