From rocket scientists to code breakers, "fascinating stories" of women who overcame obstacles, shattered stereotypes, and pursued their passion for math ( Notices of the American Mathematical Society).
With more than 200 photos and original interviews with several of the amazing women covered, Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics is a full-color volume that puts a spotlight on the influence of women on the development of mathematics over the last two millennia. Each biography reveals the life of a different female mathematician, from her childhood and early influences to the challenges she faced and the great achievements she made in spite of them. Learn how:
- After her father terminated her math lessons, Sofia Kovalevskaya snuck algebra books into her bed to read at night
- Emmy Noether became an invaluable resource to Albert Einstein while she was in the Navy
- Native American rocket scientist Mary Golda Ross developed designs for fighter jets and missiles in a top-secret unit
- Katherine Johnson's life-or-death calculations at NASA meant that astronauts such as Alan Shepard and John Glenn made it home alive
- Shakuntala Devi multiplied massive numbers in her head so her family could eat at night
- Pamela Harris proved her school counselors wrong when they told her she would only succeed as a bilinguial secretary
- Carla Cotwright-Williams began her life in the dangerous streets of South-Central Los Angeles before skyrocketing to a powerful career with the Department of Defense in Washington, DC
These women are a diverse group, but their stories have one thing in common: At some point on their journeys, someone believed in them—and made them think the impossible was perhaps not so impossible.
"A quick read . . . full of dramatic stories and eye-catching illustrations." — MAA Reviews
"I found myself marveling at the personal anecdotes and quotes throughout the book." — Notices of the American Mathematical Society
