On Saturday 17th February, the Mathematrix and Mirzakhani societies held their inaugural joint conference. There were over 100 attendees from across the UK. The theme of the day was ‘Beyond the Pipeline’ and focused on the issues behind the metaphor of the leaky pipeline and the ways that we can prevent women and other gender minorities from leaving mathematics. The key aims were to build networks, provide role models, and explore the various careers available for mathematicians.
The day consisted of a keynote talk by Brigitte Stenhouse on the life and work of mathematician Mary Somerville, followed by talks by Christl Donnelly, Tracey O'Neil, Melanie Rupflin, and Mura Yakerson on their research and their journeys into academia.
In the afternoon, we heard from early-career speakers and there was a chance to network with industry sponsors. We finished the day with a panel discussion on the theme of the Leaky Pipeline. We had very positive feedback from attendees, with one noting that they had been working in industry for several years but that this event had inspired them to get back into academia.
We are very grateful for the support of Oxford Mathematics as well as the MPLS, LMS and our industry sponsors. Stay tuned for the announcement of OxWIM Day 2025!
