What Can You Do?
...as a lecturer
Contextualising the maths
Lots of maths modules have some reference to the mathematicians that contributed to that particular area of maths. Here are a few suggestions on how to contextualise the maths in your course.
Firstly, collate information about which mathematicians are referenced in your course. There is a template on the next page to aid with this. Then consider the following...
Are the mathematicians predominantly one gender or nationality? If one group dominated an area of research, you can acknowledge this at the start of the course.
If there are mathematicians from underrepresented groups responsible for findings in your module, make sure to highlight this! If not, are there opportunities to include some?
Read about the QMUL booklet in our hall of fame as a starting point!
Was any research wrongly attributed to another mathematician? Were certain groups excluded from mathematical circles at the time?
Give a few facts about the mathematicians, which could be fun or sometimes gruesome! It makes the content memorable but also opens up discussion about the ethical considerations of the field.
Thinking about context
Thinking about the mathematicians highlighted in a module you teach on, use the template below to explore the wider context.
| Name | Pronouns | Nationality | Brief History | Any surrounding controversy? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mildred Leonora Sanderson 1889-1914 | She/Her (assumed) | American | Developed theorem concerning modular invariants. Died age 25 of TB. | Often referred to as “Miss Sanderson’s Theorem”. Discussion around qualifiers on women’s work at the time and “male default” pronouns. |
Are there any patterns in the mathematicians listed?