Number crunching: two female math majors' stories

Melanie Baird hated math in high school, but not for the reasons most people do. For her, math was just too easy.

Now Baird, a graduate student studying math at IU, is undertaking a feat slightly more challenging than high school algebra.

Beyond the coursework, Baird now faces other challenges. Gender stereotypes associated with being a female math major can take their toll.

“Even my parents were surprised when I told them I wanted to major in math,” Baird said. “Most people think of the typical math major as a small, geeky guy. I don’t exactly fit that mold.”

Blonde and slender, Baird described the math department at IU as predominantly male. She has never had a female math professor, and most of the math extracurriculars have little to no female participation.

“There are a lot of activities that the guys will do, but as a girl I just don’t really participate,” Baird said.

Senior Mutsa Mutembwa, a math and economics major, noticed the disparity most heavily in upper-level courses. She said in a 14-student class, there are likely to be only two or three women.

Baird thinks the lack of female influence likely has to do with society’s perception of jobs that math majors fill.

“It’s a stigma that math jobs are very industry-based,” she said. “Most lab jobs are male-dominated.”

Baird wants to be an insurance analyst when she graduates, which she says doesn’t exactly break that stigma.

But there’s a possibility that the stereotype is simply a result of differing gender interests.

“Many females tend to go towards traditional female majors because that is what they’re interested in,” Mutembwa said.

Regardless of the reason, the gap has pushed females into a minority position.

Katrina Reynolds, director of student and staff advocacy for the Office of Women’s Affairs, said the biggest challenges are not only getting female students interested in the major, but also getting them to stay in the major. Being a female on the male-dominated scene, she said, leads many women to switch majors.

Baird said being in the minority isn’t all bad.

“There is a stereotype of it being a very male-dominated field, so being a female helps a lot,” Baird said. “They’re looking for diversity.  I’m white and a female — that’s definitely an edge.”

She said being female has almost always been an advantage.

“I almost felt like I was favored,” Baird said. “They’re really excited when they get a girl.”

Though Mutembwa described the situation as challenging, she said she has gained valuable skills as a result.

“It just made me more independent,” she said. “You learn how to communicate better with both sexes.”

Baird said she is slowly starting to see a change in the amount of women who study math. For example, four years ago, when she was an undergraduate math student at Brigham Young University, the male domination was far more prevalent than it is at IU.

Mutembwa credits this slight increase in female participation in math and science to the job market.

“There’s an increasing demand for those majors, and that is encouraging for anyone,” she said.

The Office of Women’s Affairs hopes to create a stronger support system to encourage women to go into and remain in these majors.

Though there might be some progress in breaking the stereotype, Baird said there is surely a long way to go.

“It takes society a long time to change,” she said. “This is a stigma that is going to take a while to get rid of.”

Mutembwa said she remains hopeful.

“At the end of the day, the guys know we’re equal, and that’s all that matters.”Melanie Baird hated math in high school, but not for the reasons most people do. For her, math was just too easy.

Now Baird, a graduate student studying math at IU, is undertaking a feat slightly more challenging than high school algebra.

Beyond the coursework, Baird now faces other challenges. Gender stereotypes associated with being a female math major can take their toll.

“Even my parents were surprised when I told them I wanted to major in math,” Baird said. “Most people think of the typical math major as a small, geeky guy. I don’t exactly fit that mold.”

Blonde and slender, Baird described the math department at IU as predominantly male. She has never had a female math professor, and most of the math extracurriculars have little to no female participation.

“There are a lot of activities that the guys will do, but as a girl I just don’t really participate,” Baird said.

Senior Mutsa Mutembwa, a math and economics major, noticed the disparity most heavily in upper-level courses. She said in a 14-student class, there are likely to be only two or three women.

Baird thinks the lack of female influence likely has to do with society’s perception of jobs that math majors fill.

“It’s a stigma that math jobs are very industry-based,” she said. “Most lab jobs are male-dominated.”

Baird wants to be an insurance analyst when she graduates, which she says doesn’t exactly break that stigma.

But there’s a possibility that the stereotype is simply a result of differing gender interests.

“Many females tend to go towards traditional female majors because that is what they’re interested in,” Mutembwa said.

Regardless of the reason, the gap has pushed females into a minority position.
Katrina Reynolds, director of student and staff advocacy for the Office of Women’s Affairs, said the biggest challenges are not only getting female students interested in the major, but also getting them to stay in the major. Being a female on the male-dominated scene, she said, leads many women to switch majors.

Baird said being in the minority isn’t all bad.

“There is a stereotype of it being a very male-dominated field, so being a female helps a lot,” Baird said. “They’re looking for diversity.  I’m white and a female — that’s definitely an edge.”

She said being female has almost always been an advantage.

“I almost felt like I was favored,” Baird said. “They’re really excited when they get a girl.”

Though Mutembwa described the situation as challenging, she said she has gained valuable skills as a result.

“It just made me more independent,” she said. “You learn how to communicate better with both sexes.”

Baird said she is slowly starting to see a change in the amount of women who study math. For example, four years ago, when she was an undergraduate math student at Brigham Young University, the male domination was far more prevalent than it is at IU.
Mutembwa credits this slight increase in female participation in math and science to the job market.

“There’s an increasing demand for those majors, and that is encouraging for anyone,” she said.

The Office of Women’s Affairs hopes to create a stronger support system to encourage women to go into and remain in these majors.

Though there might be some progress in breaking the stereotype, Baird said there is surely a long way to go.

“It takes society a long time to change,” she said. “This is a stigma that is going to take a while to get rid of.”

Mutembwa said she remains hopeful.

“At the end of the day, the guys know we’re equal, and that’s all that matters.”