La Jornada: “We must prevent girls from believing that mathematics is not for them”

At the age of 13, before taking an exam for the Mexican Mathematics Olympiad (WMO), Andrea Cascante, nervous but determined, assured her teachers: “I’m going to get a perfect exam.” And he did it. Now, the young mathematician, at 18, considers that the main challenge in this discipline is not the numbers, but rather preventing girls from believing that mathematics “is not for them.”

“One of the problems we have is that there are few role models and that has a domino effect, because if I haven’t seen anyone else doing this, why would I be the first?” she explains to The Day regarding the International Day of Women in Mathematics, which is celebrated today.

“On a political level I would say that if a country really wants to have some type of scientific advance, it cannot leave out half of the population,” adds who is now part of the team that will represent Mexico in the International Mathematics Olympiad, the most prestigious competition in the field, which will be held this summer in Shanghai, China.

Cascante’s history in mathematics began at age 11, when her school invited her to participate in the state mathematics olympiad. There she discovered that behind the numbers there was also friendship, strategy and self-confidence.

“In school we are normally taught to memorize and mechanize, while in the Olympics curiosity and strategy are encouraged,” he points out. “Another factor that made me want to stay was the community that is formed there.”

After eight years, Cascante has participated in more than 20 mathematical competitions and has obtained more than 14 national and 11 international recognitions. She especially remembers her first participation in the National Women’s Olympiad and the European Women’s Mathematics Olympiad, not only for the results, but for the opportunity to travel and live with other young women interested in this discipline.

Andrea calls on families and schools to promote the participation of girls in areas such as mathematics and science, especially in secondary school, when a gender gap begins to open.

“My comfort zone”

On the other hand, Maia Berenice Díaz Mondragón, 15 years old, nationally selected to participate in the Central American and Caribbean Mathematical Olympiad, which will be held in August in Mexico, says that seeing her parents teaching mathematics and physics classes was what brought her closer to those subjects. “Maybe I didn’t fully understand the topics, but I managed to understand some ideas or principles that they were explaining, and I found it very interesting.”

His first formal attempt to enter the math olympiads was during the pandemic, but because classes were virtual, he gave it up for a while. Later, in his first year of high school, he returned. Since then, every Friday and Saturday, from 9 in the morning until 7 at night, he goes to his training sessions.

“I really like mathematics because I feel in my comfort zone, it is something that I understand and can handle. In the Olympiad, the problems present you with a situation and you have to discover how to solve it,” he says.

Díaz Mondragón relates that the bonds of friendship she has built around the science of numbers is what satisfies her the most. Although in some stages of training the participation between girls and boys is usually similar, as the competitive levels advance the female presence decreases. For Maia, meeting other young women who have already traveled that path is key to staying in the discipline. “The girls who have been around longer support you a lot,” she says.

“Even if it’s just to try it, try it”

Maia has also participated in the National Women’s Mathematics Olympiad, in which one of the greatest lessons she has learned is the development of creativity and logical thinking. “The competitions have helped me a lot to know how to react to the pressure of exams.”

In a message to the girls, Díaz Mondragón recommends: “if you are interested in even just trying it, try it. You will surely find people who support you, they don’t have to be the best to enjoy it.”

Maia and Andrea are part of the OMM in the state of Morelos.

International Women’s Day in Mathematics is celebrated every May 12 to commemorate the birth of Maryam Mirzakhani (1977-2017), a prominent Iranian mathematician who was the first woman to win the Fields Medal, the highest award in this discipline.

The UNAM Mathematics Institute will hold a day today dedicated to strengthening inclusive environments that inspire more girls and young people to approach the exact sciences. The complete program of activities can be consulted at https://mujeresmatematicas.matem.unam.mx/#services