Source: The Atlantic
The statistically stunted participation of females in the realm of international math competitions inspired the European Girls’ Math Olympiad – an international competition between 39 teams in 39 countries.
Geoff Smith, a math professor from the University of Bath who came up with the idea, says that the competition for girls was created to encourage female participation and to create opportunities for young women to gain experience in math competitions. However, the competition has been criticized as an insult to women, some claiming that it implies hat women are not smart enough to land on existing international mathematics competitions.
According to a study conducted by two economists in 2009, there are in fact huge gaps between female versus male participation in math; the study suggests that females are the victims of systematic sexism, as they as discouraged from pursuing or excelling in math from a very young age.
Participants in the Girls’ Math Olympiad however maintain that it is an excellent opportunity to connect with other math pros and to gain competitive experience.
Read full story at: The Atlantic