The first female professor-Sophia? Kovalevskaya

Sophia was born in a noble manor on the border of Lithuania in czarist Russia, and her father was the head of a retired artillery regiment. She has been obsessed with mathematics since she was a child and often looks at the mathematical formulas and symbols on the wall for a long time. It turns out that the wallpaper in her room is made of handouts of advanced mathematics. Sophia was able to independently derive the trigonometric formula at the age of 65,438+04, which was called "neo-Pascal". Over time, she was called "New Pascal". Her interest in mathematics is growing. However, women were not allowed to register for higher education at that time. Her father wanted her to enter the society like other aristocratic girls, which hindered her desire to study mathematics. So, regardless of her parents' objections, Sophia made a "fake marriage" with the young paleontologist Coe Valevski and came to Heidelberg, Germany. But there, women must get the approval of a special Committee to attend classes. After hard work, she was allowed to take part in the basic class. During this period, she was studious and knowledgeable in mathematics, which caused a sensation in Heidelberg and became a topic of discussion. But she was only allowed to take three semesters of courses, so she had to leave there. Sophia was eager for further study, so she went to Berlin Technical University, intending to attend the class of the famous mathematician Wilstrass. Unfortunately, universities in Berlin don't allow women to listen to professors, and Sophia is rejected everywhere. In the end, she had to go to Wilstrass's house for advice with a glimmer of hope. Wilstras (18 15- 1899) is a respected old mathematician. He met Sophia and asked him some questions about hyperellipses, all at that time. Skilled problem-solving skills and unique thinking methods left a deep impression on the old professor. Therefore, Wilstras made an exception and promised Sophia to take classes at home every Sunday, and she also took one day off every week to teach in her apartment. In this way, Sophia studied under the careful guidance of Wilstrass for four years. Recalling this experience, she said: "This kind of learning has a profound impact on my entire mathematics career. It finally determines the direction of my future research. " Sophia got the encouragement and guidance from Wilstrass, and she had the courage to climb the peak of science. After four years of hard work, she wrote three excellent papers, which aroused strong repercussions. This is an unprecedented initiative. In 2004, at the recommendation of Wilstrass, 24-year-old Sophia was awarded the Goethe University, a first-class university in Germany. Become the world's leading female mathematician. Sophia, who received her doctorate, returned to the motherland with a pure heart, while Russia was as dark as before going abroad. She had no foothold in her motherland and had to return to Berlin. She studied the broken line of light in the crystal according to the suggestion of Wilstrass. At the 1883 Odyssey Science Conference, she made a report with excellent research results. But fate is against her. That spring, her husband committed suicide because of bankruptcy. She was deeply saddened to hear the sad news. She shut herself in her room for four days without eating or drinking, and on the fifth day she was in a coma. Unfortunately, she didn't demoralize Sophia. After waking up on the sixth day, she began to work stubbornly. In Sweden, mathematician Mida? With the help of Leffler, Sophia was able to be a lecturer at Stockholm University after many twists and turns, but the local newspaper publicly criticized her: "It is harmful and unpleasant for women to be professors-even those people are monsters." But Sophia was fearless and walked onto the platform like a man. She won the students' love with vivid lectures and defeated the prejudice of "men are superior to women". She was formally employed as a senior professor of analysis and later as a professor of mechanics. Sophia's term in Sweden ended. She wanted to return to China to teach, but failed, so she had to continue teaching abroad. In 2008+089 1 year, Sophia died because of misdiagnosis of pneumonia. She has worked hard for women's freedom and is a shining example for women to climb the peak of science.

Nord, a female mathematician who grew up in adversity

1933 65438+ 10, Hitler issued the first decree as soon as he came to power, comparing Jews to "demons" and clamoring to crush "the rights of demons". Soon, the University of G? ttingen was ordered to dismiss all people of pure Jewish descent who were engaged in education. Among the scholars who were expelled, there was a woman named Amy? Nord (A.E. Noether1882-1935), a professor in this university, is 5l years old. The lecture she gave was forced to stop, and even her meager salary was cancelled. This woman who has achieved academic success is calm in the face of difficulties because she has spent her life in adversity. Nord grew up to be a Jewish professor of mathematics. I like math since I was a child. 1903, Nord, 2 1 year-old, was admitted to the University of G? ttingen, where he listened to lectures by Klein, Hilbert, Minkowski and others, and formed an indissoluble bond with mathematics. She published several high-quality papers when she was a student. At the age of 25, she became one of the few female doctors in mathematics in the world. Nord has made outstanding contributions to the study of differential inequalities, rings and ideal subgroups. But because of the low status of women at that time, she was not even a lecturer. With the strong support of the great mathematician Hilbert, Nord became the first female lecturer at the University of G? ttingen from Hilbert's "private lecturer". Next, due to her outstanding scientific research achievements and Hilbert's recommendation, she won.

Nord loves mathematics education and is good at inspiring students to think. She has never been married, but she has many children. She keeps close contact with students and is amiable. People affectionately call the students around her "Nord's children". China mathematician Ceng Jiong is one of Nord's "children". Under Hitler's arrogance, Nord was forced to leave the University of G? ttingen and go to work in the United States. In America, she is also respected by students. And her "children". 1934 In September, the United States established a postdoctoral scholarship named after Nord. Unfortunately, Nord died of surgery less than two years after working in the United States at the age of 53. Her death made many math colleagues feel infinite sorrow. Einstein delivered a eulogy at the The New York Times, saying: "According to the judgment of authoritative mathematicians, Ms. Nord is the most important creative mathematician since women received higher education.