The University of Wisconsin-Superior recently hosted the seventh annual Sonia Kovalevsky Day celebration. Female students from seven high schools across Wisconsin and Minnesota came to participate in the celebration of women in mathematics.

The event is named after Sonia Kovalevsky, the first woman in modern Europe to attain a degree in mathematics. She forged her own path, eventually becoming the first female professor of mathematics and first woman to join the editorial board of a scientific journal. Kovalevsky’s achievements continue to inspire today’s young female mathematicians.

“I have a different perspective of math, it’s not just mx + b or the quadratic formula” says Nico, a sophomore student from Siren High School. Nico is a self-proclaimed “nerd” who attended the event under the encouragement of upperclassmen. She expressed an excitement in doing math outside of the classroom setting and found the activities to be especially fulfilling. She states that, “They’re another way to make math more fun for students.”

This free event exposed students to new forms of math through multiple workshops run by UWS professors. One workshop, facilitated by Mathematics and Computer Science Department professor Josh Stangle, used origami to define the difference between drawing shapes and using a straight edge.

Professor Heather Kahler, also from the Mathematics and Computer Science Department, oversaw a workshop on cryptography in which students used math in breaking codes.

“It’s about exposing students to math and getting them excited,” said Kahler. “We use our areas of expertise to spread the message that, no matter what, this is something you can do.”

UW-Superior’s Sonia Kovalevsky Day additionally provided students the opportunity to connect with local businesses. Students attended career spotlights with representatives from Amsoil, Essentia Health and Superior Choice Credit Union. Each business held activities showcasing the importance of math within their operations.

Teachers from the visiting high schools find value in bringing their students to the event each year.

“I think it’s important to celebrate and encourage women in mathematics. It’s an awesome opportunity for students to be here,” says Matt Niedzielski, a math teacher from Moose Lake High School.

“We are not looking at math we usually see in a class setting, the cryptology this morning, the origami later and even the businesses we have seen,” Nidzielski said. “Math is sometimes so broad and structured in school that students lose track of how awesome it can be.”

Sponsors for the event include the American Association of University Women-Duluth, Mathematical Association of American tensor Women & Mathematics and UW-Superior’s Link Center and Math and Computer Science Department.

By Olivia Fleming, English major and student writer for UWS.