Female Mathematicians as Role Models for All Students

by Lynda R. Wiest

Girls' and women's dispositions, performance, and participation in mathematics have received significant attention in recent decades. Nevertheless, females still perform below males on the mathematics portion of standardized tests, such as the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) (Institute of Education Sciences), and they attain fewer mathematics degrees than males at all higher-education levels (Institute of Education Sciences). Further, they account for only one-fourth of workers classified into "Computer and Mathematical Occupations" (Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational"), the third-highest paying of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' twenty-two job categories (Highlights). One way to address these lingering imbalances is to provide female role models in mathematics for both girls and boys.