09/10/2020

Piauí Magazine and Band highlight IMPA researchers.

Imagem: Intervenção de Paula Cardoso sobre foto de Carolina Araujo/ Reprodução Piauí

Recent achievements of exceptional awards by IMPA researchers were highlighted by Piauí magazine and the Band Notícias news program , broadcast by Band. The reports showcased the academic work that Carolina Araujo, the first Brazilian to receive the Ramanujan Prize , and Luna Lomonaco, a pioneer in the UMALCA award , have been carrying out. They also reinforced the common cause that both champion: the pursuit of a more inclusive science, which is inspiring new generations.

“Unfortunately, there’s still the stereotype that mathematics is a boy’s thing,” Carolina recalled in an interview with journalist Bernardo Esteves, from Piauí magazine. The daughter of an engineer, the researcher saw her interest in numbers awaken in childhood. Currently, she is vice-president of the Committee for Women in Mathematics of the International Mathematical Union (IMU), and coordinates actions that seek to broadly change the current structure.

Encouraging the participation of Black people and social groups frequently excluded from mathematics is among her main objectives, as she reinforced in the article "The Mathematics of Inclusion." "This exclusion repeats itself in a vicious cycle and creates a feeling of not belonging in people." She also assessed that diversity brings benefits to mathematics and science because it tends to generate more creative and efficient solutions.

In the report broadcast by TV Band, Carolina highlighted that the space women have been conquering in science shows that the field should be shared by "everyone." Also in the report, Luna recalled the feeling of disqualification that plagued her career for many years.

Imagem: Reprodução TV Band

During her undergraduate studies at the University of Padua in Italy, she had to deal with professors who frequently undermined her self-esteem, giving her the feeling that she wasn't good enough to pursue her career in the field.

The report by journalist Alexandre Tortoriello also included the testimony of Maria Clara Werneck, medalist at the European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) and a young aspiring mathematician. In her first year of undergraduate studies, Maria Clara says she is inspired by the achievements and trajectories of the female researchers at IMPA. "It's really great to see that there are women excelling in a career that is predominantly male," she concluded.

Watch the full report, starting at minute 19: