May 12, Celebrating Women in Mathematics (May 12)
Organized by: International Mathematical Union Committee for Women in Mathematics
- Mathematics
- Aynone interested
- Students
- Early career researchers
- All researchers
- Educators
- Make visible the contributions of women to science
- Change perceptions, attitudes, behaviours, social norms and stereotypes towards women in science in society
- Engage girls and young women in science primary and secondary education, as well as in technical and vocational education and training
- Attraction, access to and retention of women in science higher education at all levels
- Gender equality in career progression for scientists and engineers
Summary
What is it?
May12 is a joyful opportunity for the mathematical community to celebrate women in mathematics. The celebration takes place every year, all around the world.The date was chosen tbecause May 12th, 1977, is the birthdate of Maryam Mirzakhani.
The goal is to inspire women everywhere to celebrate their achievements in mathematics, and to encourage an open, welcoming and inclusive work environment for everybody.
How does it work?
The May12 initiative brings together local or virtual events celebrating women in mathematics which take place in the period 1 May to 15 June. The main focus are initiatives coming from within academia.
The website encourages and publicises th nitiative worldwide. It collects information about all the local and virtual events to provide coordination and visibility, and also to acknowledge the tremendous work of their organizers. It also provides some ideas and material, particularly free film screenings, different every year, which may be helpful to those wishing to organize a local or virtual event.
Coordination of the May12 initiative
The coordination group of the May12 initiative includes representatives from the Committee for Women in Mathematics of the International Mathematical Union, the European Women in Mathematics, the Association for Women in Mathematics, the African Women in Mathematics Association, the Asian and Oceanian Women in Mathematics, CGD-UMALCA (Comisión de Género y Diversidad de Unión Matemática de América Latina y el Caribe) and the Women’s Committee of the Iranian Mathematical Society.
Starting from 2025, the May12 initiative is officially sponsored by the CWM.
The initial May12 website was funded in 2019 by European Women in Mathematics (EWM) and the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). The current May12 website was funded in 2020 by a grant from the International Mathematical Union Committee for Women in Mathematics (CWM), as well as financial support from EWM and the AWM. An improved reporting system has been supported by CWM in 2021. In 2022 the support came from AWM. In 2023 and 2024, a grant has been approved by CWM.
Starting from 2025, the May12 initiative is officially funded by the CWM.
All events are asked to fill an auto-evaluation form.
Every year an auto-evaluation with the number and nature of events, the countries where they take place as well as the number of collective or individual screenings of the films suggested is part of report of the International Mathematical Union Committee for Women in Mathematics.
From 2019 to 2025, more than 1000 events were organized all over the world. Here are details for 2026.
In 2026, “May 12 – Celebrating Women in Mathematics” was once again a lively celebration of women in mathematics all over the world, inspiring women, honouring their achievements in mathematics, and encouraging an open, welcoming and inclusive work environment for everybody. There were 193 events registered in the interactive May 12 website (https://may12.womeninmaths.org/) from 61 different countries; 7 from Africa (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Madagascar, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia) , 11 from Americas (Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, Peru, United States) 14 from Asia and Oceania (Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Oman, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan) and 29 from Europe (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, United Kingdom).
