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Mathematics instructor was troubled when he noticed a curious trend in one of his large first-year classes — many female students attending office hours expressed that they felt isolated in their math studies. 

“They noted the absence of friendships and collaboration within the course. It was purely academic without the balance of personal connection,” says Desaulniers. So, he came to PhD student with an idea.

“He thought it may be worthwhile to provide an alternate space where women could meet other women in math programs and collaborate on homework, study together, things like that,” says Korfanty. 

A graduate assistantship position was created in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences focused on increasing opportunities for peer support and community building. Korfanty was selected for the position and quickly got to work.

Though there are numerous reasons students may not be able to attend office hours, Desaulniers’ small observation speaks to a bigger issue. Many STEM disciplines — including mathematics — grapple with a problem known as the “.” Though a relatively high percentage of women study mathematics as undergraduate students, that number shrinks as they continue in their degree programs, plummeting further if they go on to pursue graduate studies and academic positions.

“I did not start off as the only woman in my first-year honors calculus class,” says undergraduate student Jillian Cairns. “But going through my degree, I’ve been the only woman multiple times, in multiple classes.”

“I think one of the best things we can do is create safe spaces where women can discuss barriers that they feel personally, where they can talk about things with people they relate to and who can be supportive and encouraging,” says Korfanty. 

At first, Korfanty simply co-ordinated weekly meetups any interested students could attend, advertising the group to Desaulniers’ class as well as others in the department. Then it started to grow. 

First, regular attendees of the meetups joined Korfanty in organizing a mini-conference, From Stories to Solutions. The conference featured presentations from professors including mathematician , who spoke about the joy of mathematics, and physicist , who discussed building a culture of inclusion within an academic department. Mathematics graduate student Alexandra Shyntar shared her insights on the path to graduate school. And , co-founder of the outreach program Math to Power Her Life, reflected on how she wove her love of mathematics through her various passions including research and community service.

As part of her teaching assistant role, Korfanty compiled a report on initiatives at other institutions’ chapters. The members recognized that a more formal structure could amplify their impact and open the door for more outreach opportunities, so they transformed from a study group into an official U of A chapter.

Korfanty passed the torch to master’s student , who had been involved with the group since the beginning. Within a year of forming as a chapter, the U of A group won the organization’s Scientific Excellence Award as well as the Most Promising New Group Award from the . 

“The awards were a great acknowledgement of everyone’s efforts and they motivate everyone to continue promoting this inclusive environment,” says Park. “It also helps boost our visibility and credibility, which opens up more opportunities for collaboration, funding and outreach for our group.” 

The chapter is thriving, with 10 executive members leading various initiatives as well as a robust group of general members who attend weekly meet-ups and form connections virtually in the chapter’s Discord chat group. 

Their faculty mentor, , has been impressed by their drive and passion from the very beginning. 

“They have been organizing events that are very difficult to organize, and the executive members have taken on all the responsibilities brilliantly,” says Vritsiou, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences. 

Following the mini-conference, the group organized a seminar series entitled “Connecting Mathematics: Careers Across Domains.” Speakers included and from the U of A and from MacEwan University, who highlighted the diverse paths a mathematics student might consider. 

“Math can lead to so many different career paths, and it’s one of the best degrees to have for problem-solving skills, for pattern recognition, for critical thinking,” says Vritsiou. 

“If you’re not going down the more obvious path for a mathematician, it’s all about transferable skills and learning how to apply the broader things you learn in your degree,” adds Cairns, who serves in the advertising executive role for the chapter. “Math is not about numbers. It’s about thinking in a logical way and getting through your problems with an analytical approach.”

The chapter’s influence and impact extend beyond the campus community as well, with several projects aimed at fostering an interest in mathematics among young girls. This February, they ran a two-day math camp for students in grades 4 through 6, introducing them to the excitement of statistics and mathematics through hands-on activities. The camp was a success, with the group receiving positive feedback from the students in attendance as well as their parents and teachers. They plan to run it again next year, with the potential of an additional summer edition.

Korfanty, Park and Cairns will all be graduating soon, but they’re confident the chapter’s impact will continue to grow in the years ahead.

“I hope that in the future we’ll have all sorts of new collaborations and initiatives that we haven’t even thought of yet,” says Korfanty. “Hopefully future members will come to us with their ideas and we’ll have the tools and resources to support them in making it happen.” 

“We want to inspire our current members as well as future members, reinforcing the importance of our core mission — to advance women and gender minorities in the mathematical and statistical sciences,” adds Park.