29/08/2018

Luize, who won seven gold medals in the OBMEP (Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools), created Mathematics for Girls.

Reproduction of Extra

Reporting by: Pedro Zuazo

Luíze Mello D'Urso has always enjoyed solving problems. When she entered her undergraduate studies in Mathematics, she was surprised to find that her class of 30 students had only two girls. The equation didn't add up in her head. After all, since the Fridays grade, the young woman has accumulated medals in competitions such as the Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad (OBM). At 22, already graduated, she decided to take action to show that numbers aren't just for boys : she created the Mathematics for Girls project. Twenty-five students meet on Saturdays in a room provided by PUC-Rio, in Gávea. The classes are free. During four hours of study, they tackle logic puzzles.

— Problems don't discriminate between men and women. But I realized that there's little encouragement for girls in this area and, consequently, few girls participate in the Olympiads. I decided to help them realize that they can do just as well as boys in these competitions — says Luíze, who won bronze at the International Mathematics Competition 2017 (IMC), the most important global mathematics Olympiad for university students, last year in Bulgaria.

The project is aimed at elementary and high school students, from both public and private schools. In addition to Luíze, volunteers help prepare the group to participate in regional, national, and international olympiads. The classes are geared towards specific tests that involve logic and above-average difficulty questions that need to be solved quickly, primarily using reasoning.

— Besides preparing for competitions, we aim to demystify the subject. Through logic, you discover that mathematics isn't just about doing calculations. It's a way to open your mind and discover many interesting things that can be applied in everyday life. Not to mention that the group develops emotional bonds, which makes studying enjoyable — says Luíze.

Seven gold medals at OBMEP.

Luíze's passion for mathematics began at age 11, when she was studying to enter the Military College. The encouragement came from her mother, who has a law degree and often uses logic in her decisions.

— Despite having a law degree, my mother always valued logical reasoning. And it was she who started teaching me the subject in a way I had never seen before — says Luíze, who never imagined pursuing a career in this field: — I was always an average student in math, one of those who were always close to failing.

But for the past ten years, she has been competing. In the Brazilian Mathematics Olympiad for Public Schools (OBMEP) alone, she won seven gold medals. The only calculation she can't do is how many Olympiads she has participated in.

I've lost count.