The AWM chapter at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville aims to encourage and support underrepresented groups with an emphasis on women to be active in the mathematical sciences and to promote a culture that fosters equal opportunity and equal treatment of all students and faculty in the Department of Mathematics at UTK through advocacy, mentorship, and community engagement. In particular, we bring together undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members in the Department of Mathematics to provide mutual support and to increase the visibility of women in mathematics. Some of the activities of our organization include inviting speakers to discuss issues relating to women in math and providing online resources for underrepresented groups in math. We also seek to expand the future community of women mathematicians through outreach to local students in grades K-12.

Our goals as an organization at UTK are:

• to create a network of students and faculty to help each other as they continue their education or progress in their career
• to celebrate the accomplishments of female and underrepresented students, faculty, and staff
• to learn by attending conferences and inviting speakers
• to promote women in STEM both on- and off-campus.

Our chapter provides a forum for individuals of all gender identities at the university to address the imbalance of women pursuing careers in the mathematical sciences and to discuss some of the subtle ways that inequality may appear in academia and other professional careers. We aim to foster a sense of community that facilitates the building of relationships between students and faculty of all gender identities and ages, with the goal that all members will find support and encouragement in their work and studies, especially among female-identifying mathematicians. We encourage individuals of all gender identities to pursue mathematics and focus on a greater understanding of the contributions of women in the mathematical sciences. 

Our chapter was established in the Spring of 2019 and is supported by the UTK Department of Mathematics. Membership is open to all undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty members regardless of gender identity or expression, race, color, religion, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. The title of our Chapter is the Association FOR Women in Mathematics; NOT the Association OF Women in Mathematics. As such, any member of the UTK community who is “for” women in mathematics is welcome to be involved with the organization.

The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Association for Women in Mathematics, the University of Tennessee, or the UTK Department of Mathematics. For more information or suggestions, please email math_awm@utk.edu.

Helpful Links

AWM – Association for Women in Mathematics, the official website.

Women Do Math – AWM blog connecting women in mathematics.

Inclusion/Exclusion – An AMS blog about underrepresented groups in mathematics.

EDGE – Enhancing Diversity in Graduate Education.

Mathematically Gifted and Black – A website celebrating and highlighting the accomplishments of black scholars in the mathematical sciences.

Lathisms – A website celebrating and highlighting the research and mentoring contributions of Latinxs and Hispanics in different areas of the mathematical sciences.