EUROPEAN WOMEN in MATHEMATICS NEWSLETTER NUMBER 7 March 2000
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EUROPEAN WOMEN IN MATHEMATICS NEWSLETTER NUMBER 7 March 2000 Editors: Nadia Larsen Department of Mathematics, University of Copenhagen DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark e-mail: [email protected] Maren Riemenschneider Arbeitsgruppe 2 – Geometrie und Algebra Fachbereich Mathematik Technische Universit¨at Darmstadt D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany e-mail: [email protected] This is the seventh EWM Newsletter, mainly to be distributed via the EWM e-mail network. Contents: 1 Editorial 2 Information and useful e-mail addresses 3 Report on the 9th General Meeting of EWM 4 Reports on other meetings held in 1999 5 Announcements of forthcoming meetings 6 Other News 7 Questionnaires 1. EDITORIAL Irene Sciriha, convenor Mentoring in 2000 Means Future Women Mathematicians With apologies to US Awise The year 2000 has been designated as the World Mathematical Year, a tribute to the importance of our subject as the backbone of a true scientific approach. It is also the 150th anniversary of the birth of Sonia Kovalevskaya, a pioneer of women mathematicians. The situation for women mathematicians has improved considerably and yet in most civilized countries the opportunities for women are too restricted. To alleviate these difficulties for members of EWM who work in isolation or who are embarking on a mathematical career, we are setting up a mentor ring. Members are urged to fill in the questionnaire that is included in this issue. It is meant to provide us with information to set up a data base that should serve as a talent bank which we can access when a member needs mathematical help. EWM can boast that it is wealthy not only in the diversity of mathematical ideas that its members are interested in but also in the way these ideas are presented depending on the geographical area where studies are taken. Through the data base we can learn which resources the members can share among themselves. It is often the case that members who hold prestigious academic or administrative positions feel an urge to guide others still in the lower rungs. It is the purpose of this exercise to create a database, which can be used 1 to support members who may need help by referring them to these members willing to share their expertise. We can also use such information to address the future policies of EWM. While this idea was met with encouraging enthusiasm there were members who expressed valid reasons for caution. An advisor has to be careful not to assume a patronizing attitude towards the advised especially after having helped the latter to overcome teething troubles. Besides a possible mentor must not be placed in a position where she finds it hard to refuse a proposal. The best policy to adopt is if a member of the standing committee deals with contacts herself and checks whether an expert is in a position to give assistance at that time before any names are suggested. In this manner, the problem of privacy regarding availability at a particular time is dealt with. I am in no way implying that to succeed a woman needs a mentor. Many among us have managed in spite of opposition. I am sure, however, that many talented women are lost by the wayside in the path of their career and fail to reach the high positions men less able than they are reach, just because they miss some trick of the trade that can easily be suggested to them. A mentor’s encouragement may provide the insight necessary to keep a mentee’s enthusiasm well kindled. A mentor may, in all good faith, not suggest the best manner of approach. By being exposed to more tips, however, a mentee can make a wiser choice than if she is left to discover the optimal path without assistance. Every member has experience in some field and can be a mentor. Benefits work both ways. The mentee is helped to make a difficult decision more easily. The mentor will be surprised that by sharing her successful secrets, she’ll think of more successful ways of improving her position. Prolific researchers experience this multiplicative effect in their research. The more they share and discuss their discoveries the more they are likely to discover new ideas. I must thank the members of the subcommittees who are doing a great deal of work for EWM. The printed proceedings of the Trieste meeting have just been published. Many members, participants and re- gional coordinators in particular have already received them and were pleasantly surprised with the attractive presentation of the book. It is planned to hold the next EWM General Meeting in 2001, in Tartu, Estonia. More information on this will be given later. Before that, we have an opportunity to meet in Barcelona at the 3ecm. A satellite activity is being held in the days preceding the congress to listen to presentations by members about their current research. A special section of the meeting is being dedicated to a number of young women mathematicians who will be giving talks about their areas of interest. It will be an opportunity for all of us to make contacts and perhaps plan our next joint paper. In April, the EU Commission is holding a meeting entitled ”Women and Science: making change hap- pen.” I am putting up a stand showing information on EWM. A Power Point presentation, highlighting the activities and interests of EWM, will be available for participants visiting the stand. The Trieste proceedings will also be exhibited. Such meetings are beneficial to EWM as potential members are attracted and new contacts are made. I wish you all a successful year and urge you to keep in touch. Irene Sciriha, [email protected] 2. INFORMATION AND USEFUL E-MAIL ADDRESSES A List of Committee Members The following is a list of members of the different organs that were elected at the general assembly of the 9th general meeting of European Women in Mathematics in Kloster Loccum, Hannover, September 1999: Standing committee : Polyna Agranovich [email protected] Christine Bessenrodt (deputy convenor) [email protected] 2 Ljudmila Bordag [email protected] Laura Fainsilber (deputy convenor) [email protected] Catherine Hobbs [email protected] Marjatta N¨a¨at¨anen marjatta.naatanen@helsinki.fi Irene Pieper-Seier [email protected] Irene Sciriha (convenor) [email protected] Betul Tanbay [email protected] Laura Tedeschini-Lalli [email protected] Tsou Sheung Tsun [email protected] Inna Yemelyanova [email protected] International coordinators : Marie Demlov´a [email protected] central and east Laura Fainsilber [email protected] north Rosa-Maria Spitaleri [email protected] south and west Tania Vasilieva [email protected] Russia Secretary: Riitta Ulmanen riitta.ulmanen@helsinki.fi Newsletter editors : Nadia Larsen [email protected] Maren Riemenschneider [email protected] Funding committee: Catherine Hobbs (Treasurer) [email protected] Emilia Mezzetti [email protected] Hannover Proceedings: Rachel Camina [email protected] Lisbeth Fajstrup [email protected] Th organizing committee for the meeting in 2001: Christine Bessenrodt [email protected] Marie-Fran¸coise Coste-Roy [email protected] Laura Fainsilber [email protected] Helle Hein [email protected] Tatiana Ivanova [email protected] Liki Loone [email protected] Tsou Sheung Tsun (chair) [email protected] The EWM web-page: We are looking for someone who wishes to maintain and develop the EWM web-page http://www.math.helsinki.fi/EWM. To join the European Women in Mathematics, check the EWM web-page at http://www.math.helsinki.fi/EWM, where you can find the application form in three different formats: tex, dvi or postscript. You can find out who the coordinator in your region is by checking the list of regional coordinators. Alternatively, send an e-mail to Riitta Ulmanen, the secretary of EWM, who will give you information on how to contact your regional coordinator. 3 3. REPORT ON THE 9TH GENERAL MEETING OF EWM August 30–September 4, 1999 in Loccum (Germany) Christine Bessenrodt, Laura Fainsilber The meeting was attended by 50 participants from 13 European countries. It took place at the conference center Loccum, located about 50 km from Hannover. The staff members at the conference center were particularly helpful and cooperative throughout the week. The center, an Episcopalian meeting place in a rather remote setting, with rooms, meals, lecture rooms, and many different places to sit and talk in the same building, provided a very friendly and warm atmosphere, conducive to discussion. The meeting was organised thanks to the great dedication of Christine Bessenrodt, Irene Pieper-Seier, Tsou Sheung Tsun, Ina Kersten and other members of the organising committee. It was held under the auspices of the Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung (DMV), and was also supported by the UNESCO, the EC and the Gesellschaft f¨ur Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik (GAMM). Mathematical Programme There were three sessions, one on Mathematical Modelling in theoretical physics, geophysics and biology, organized by Tsou Sheung Tsun (with talks by Helen Byrne, Cecilia Jarlskog, Rosa Maria Spitaleri), one on Discrete Mathematics and its applications, organised by Christine Bessenrodt and Tsou Sheung Tsun (with talks by Maylis Delest, Ulrike Tillmann), and one on Hilbert problems, organised by Ina Kersten (with invited talks by Ruth Kellerhals, Marie-Fran¸coise Roy and an overview by Ina Kersten). The sessions were complemented by short talks delivered by participants in Loccum (Andrea Blunck, Rachel Camina, Lisbeth Fajstrup, Laura Tedeschini Lalli). We held a poster session, chaired by Polina Agranovich, where close to 30 of the participants tried to present themselves and their work so as to be understood by non-experts and develop contacts.