Washington, D.C. (May 13, 2022) - “No matter how much the gender gap knocks you down, if you enjoy it, go for it, don’t let it stop you,” says Catherine Xu, 2022 AMC 10 A Award winner and AMC 8 & 10 B Certificate recipient. Xu is one of 632 young women across the country who has been recognized for her remarkable achievements in this year’s Mathematical Association of America American Mathematics Competitions (MAA AMC).

Since 2019, MAA has annually recognized hundreds of young women as part of the Young Women in Mathematics Awards & Certificates Program. This program originated with just one young woman, Meera Desai, and her desire to uplift female mathematicians. Inspired by Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to receive the Fields Medal, Desai worked with MAA to establish the Maryam Mirzakhani AMC 10 Prize, the first of five awards dedicated to celebrating the achievements of young women who compete in the MAA AMC.

Maryam Mirzakhani and Meera Desai, along with many other women in mathematics, have led the way for all of us to continue challenging gender disparities in STEM. This year, MAA has once again had the privilege of hearing from a new cohort of young female leaders transforming their communities. Whether it be through encouraging their classmates, tutoring other students, or leading their school’s math club, these young women are changing the face of mathematics.

Whether it be through encouraging their classmates, tutoring other students, or leading their school’s math club, these young women are changing the face of mathematics.

When asked about the challenges they have faced as young women in mathematics, many award and certificate winners cited the lack of representation of women in the field and the isolation that can create. “Being a girl in math is hard in some ways because girls aren't often seen doing math or science-related careers,” AMC 8 Certificate winner Lily Sun said. “Some of my peers looked down on me, but I've overcome these challenges by telling myself that it's not really important what other people think I can do, it's important what I know that I can do.”

“I think impostor syndrome has been a recurring theme thus far in my math journey,” AMC 12 A & B Certificate winner Alina Yang noted. “Such as feeling like I don't have many role models to look up to, but also due to things completely out of my control, like others' implicit biases and having to work harder to earn people's respect.”

In the face of systemic challenges, these students have persevered, uplifting other young women along the way. For instance, AMC 8 and 10 A Certificate winner Rhea Ghosal frequently spends her afternoons holding zoom sessions or meeting in the library with her classmates, helping them in their math courses. AMC 12 A Certificate winner Eileen Ye has founded school clubs for both middle and high school students interested in technology and coding. And Joy An, who received awards for her performance in the AMC 12 A & B, captains her school’s math team with pride in her identity as a girl in mathematics, leading her peers by example. 

When asked how she would encourage other young women to start or continue their mathematical journeys, AMC 10 A Certificate winner Alicia Tan said, “The most important thing is to build a community in which girls are free to pursue math. It is very helpful when one has support from their peers around them who are doing the same thing. Role models are also vital for encouraging girls to continue their passions. It’s important for girls to see that there are successful women in math who are making a positive impact on society such as Dr. Mirzakhani.”

We at MAA are honored to be a part of this mission – to support the creation of a strong, enduring community of women in mathematics. We thank our generous donors for their support in this endeavor: Akamai Technologies, AwesomeMathGirls.org, Jane Street, The D. E. Shaw Group, and Two Sigma. And we commend this year’s group of young women, who are breaking barriers in STEM education and serving as role models for us all.