According to statistics, around 70-80% of mathematicians are male. This gender gap in mathematics has been a subject of discussion and research for many years. In fact, a recent study published in the Notices of the American Mathematical Society found that this gender gap is not only present in the mathematics workforce, but also in the participation of students in advanced mathematics courses in high schools and universities.
One possible explanation for this gap is that there are underlying societal factors that discourage girls and women from pursuing careers in mathematics. As renowned mathematician Maryam Mirzakhani once said, “The culture encourages girls to focus on fields that are traditionally considered more feminine or that are perceived to lead to more stable careers.”
However, the lack of diversity in mathematics is not just a problem for girls and women. It also means that many diverse perspectives are being left out of mathematical research. As mathematician Eugenia Cheng explained in an article for Scientific American, “The lack of diversity in mathematics means that important questions may not be asked, or approaches to solve problems may not be pursued.”
Despite the challenges, there have been efforts to increase diversity and representation in mathematics. For example, the Association for Women in Mathematics is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging women and girls to study and have active careers in the mathematical sciences. Additionally, many universities and research institutions have implemented diversity programs to address the imbalance.
Here is a table that shows the percentage of female mathematicians in various countries:
As we can see from the table, the percentage of female mathematicians varies significantly between different countries. This highlights the importance of understanding the underlying factors that contribute to the gender gap and addressing them through targeted efforts and initiatives.
A video response to “What percentage of mathematicians are male?”
In this video, Don McMillan demonstrates how statistics, such as China having one in five babies born, can be flawed without looking at it from all perspectives. He uses other commonly misinterpreted statistics such as the percentage of marriages that end in divorce and the percentage of overweight Americans. McMillan also suggests creative ways to use statistics, including offering a prize for voting and analyzing surveys on dating preferences. Ultimately, he highlights the importance of understanding statistics before accepting them as fact.
Some more answers to your question
Mathematics Professors By Gender
Gender
Percentages
Male
70.6%
Female
29.4%
Sep 9, 2022
But overrepresentation in many fields is substantially higher, according to the study, with the most segregated field, mathematics, approaching a male overrepresentation factor of 1.5.
People are also interested
Why are there less female mathematicians?
In reply to that: While social factors do explain some of the gender differences, the best evidence suggests that top mathematicians are born rather than made and that more boys than girls are born that way. In a 2008 essay in Scientific American, Diane F.
How many female mathematicians are there?
Answer: In mathematics, just 15 percent of tenure-track positions are held by women, one of the lowest percentages among the sciences, along with computer science (18 percent), and engineering (14 percent).
Similar
Does gender affect mathematical ability?
Answer will be: Overall there are only small differences in boys’ and girls’ math performance; those differences depend on the age and skill level of the student, what type of math they are attempting and how big of a dissimilarity is needed to say that boys’ and girls’ math performance is truly different.
What age do mathematicians peak?
Response will be: More specifically, that they peak early in their twenties (i.e. present their most important contributions / most of their work in their early twenties) and then decline fast. As opposed to Biologists, for example, who are said to peak much later in their lives and keep contributing well into their 70s or beyond.
How many women get a doctorate in mathematics and statistics?
The reply will be: A 2020 NSF survey revealed that out of a total of 2,012 doctorates awarded in mathematics and statistics in the U.S. in 2019, only 585 (29.1 percent) were awarded to women. That percentage is slightly lower than in 2010, when 29.4 percent of doctorates in those areas (467 out of 1,590) were awarded to women.
Are boys better at math than women?
Response to this: By high school, boys generally score higher on math in standardized tests, although not by much. By college age, only about a third of female students in the United States pursue degrees in math and science, and by the time they reach the workforce, men outnumber women in the sciences 4 to 1.
Are women a good mathematician?
“The implication is that to be a mathematician you have to be brilliant, and women are not brilliant,” says Topaz. Even when women are brilliant, their accomplishments may be viewed differently by colleagues.
Does mathematics have a gender problem?
Topaz, a professor at Macalester College, knew that his field had a gender problem. In mathematics, just 15 percent of tenure-track positions are held by women, one of the lowest percentages among the sciences, along with computer science (18 percent), and engineering (14 percent).
How many male mathematicians are there in the world?
Response will be: There are thousand of males working as mathematicians in the world, but this list highlights only the most notable ones. Historic mathematicians have worked hard to become the best that they can be, so if you’re a male aspiring to be a mathematician then the people below should give you inspiration.
What percentage of Mathematics degrees are awarded to women?
Response: As Table 1 shows, over a recent 6-year period, none of the above elite mathematics schools matched the national average percentage of mathematics Bachelor’s degrees awarded to women (44% in 2013-14 for “mathematics, general”).
Are boys better at math than women?
By high school, boys generally score higher on math in standardized tests, although not by much. By college age, only about a third of female students in the United States pursue degrees in math and science, and by the time they reach the workforce, men outnumber women in the sciences 4 to 1.
Who are the best men aspiring to be a mathematician?
In reply to that: Historic mathematicians have worked hard to become the best that they can be, so if you’re a male aspiring to be a mathematician then the people below should give you inspiration. The list you’re viewing is made up of people like Frank Pieter Israel and Otto Schmidt.
