Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College: Mary Fairfax Somerville
Despite the lack of a formal education, Mary Somerville (1780-1872 CE) became one of the most famous female mathematicians. Learn more about her life and contributions in this interesting biography.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Nathaniel Bowditch
A detailed biography of Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838 CE), navigator, astronomer, and mathematician.
WELL
People.well.com: Ada: The Enchantress of Numbers
Biography of mathematician and scientist Ada Lovelace, the woman for whom the first computer programming was named. It also includes a year-by-year timeline of her life. The biography was written by Betty Alexandra Toole.
Other
Sdsc: Ada Byron, Countess of Lovelace
Ada Byron, Lady Lovelace (1815-1852), was one of the most picturesque characters in computer history. The daughter of the poet Lord Byron, she was raised to be a mathematician and scientist and contributed to the work of Charles Babbage.
Other
Wsu: Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia
Full of education and charity, Elena Piscopia devoted her life to learning and ministering to the poor. Her accomplishments as a mathematician and philosopher are discussed in this short biography.
Other
American Mathematical Society: Vera Pless
As a way to encourage other women, Vera Pless offers her story on the obstacles she faced as she worked to become a mathematician.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Ockham's Razor: Hypatia of Alexandria
The details of Hypatia's life and tragic death are given in this transcript of a radio talk show, using a satirical twist: "why girls shouldn't do mathematics."
Read Works
Read Works: Famous Scientists & Mathematicians Sigmund Freud
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage is about Sigmund Freud and his development of psychoanalysis. This passage is a stand-alone curricular piece that reinforces essential reading skills and strategies and establishes...
Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College: Elena Lucrezia Cornaro Piscopia
As the first woman ever to receive a doctorate, Elena Piscopia contributed to many fields, including mathematics. Her biography and details of her interests and accomplishments are presented in this summary.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Winifred Merrill
The first American woman to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics, Winifred Merrill made many contributions to the world of mathematics. Her life and accomplishments are documented in this short biography.
Read Works
Read Works: Famous Scientists & Mathematicians Louis Pasteur
[Free Registration/Login Required] This passage contains a short biography of Louis Pasteur and his development of pasteurization, a process that led to the development of vaccinations and safety procedures for many foods.This passage is...
Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College: Winifred Edgerton Merrill
A short biography is offered on the life and accomplishments of Winifred Merrill, the first American woman to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics.
Other
Awm: Julia Bowman Robinson
The Association for Women in Mathematics pays tribute to Julia Robinson (1919-1985 CE). The accomplishments and challenges she faced in a field dominated by men are included along with quotes from a tribute written after her death.
Florida State University
Florida State University: Science, Optics & You: Anders Jons Angstrom
Biography of Anders Jonas Angstrom (1814-1874), a Swedish physicist who pioneered the field of spectroscopy. He was also well known for his work in mathematics and astronomy.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Euclid of Alexandria
Provides information on Euclid's accomplishments as a mathematician.
Other
University of Evansville: Emmy Noether (1882 1935)
A very general description of some of the accomplishments of Emmy Noether. Included is a list of references and sources written about Emmy. A picture of Emmy Noether is also provided.
Agnes Scott College
Agnes Scott College: Christine Ladd Franklin
This entry from the Biographies of Women Mathematicians Web Site, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA presents a summary of the life of Christine Ladd-Frankin (1847-1930 CE) with references.
Rice University
Galileo Project: Francois Viete
This site from The Galileo Project of Rice University provides a brief overview of Francois Viete, displayed as ten biographical topics. The fields of data collected include topics such as birth/death dates, father, nationality,...
Trinity College Dublin
Trinity College: Rene Descartes (1596 1650)
Events of Rene Descartes' life are presented in a timeline form. The biographical information is taken from "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" by W. W. Rouse Ball (4th Edition, 1908).
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Ed Online: Tracing Math's Evolution
Students will use technology to research and explore mathematicians.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Karen Uhlenbeck
The life, accomplishments, and contributions to the world of mathematics are presented in this biography of a modern day female mathematician.
University of St. Andrews (UK)
University of St. Andrews: Argelia Velez Rodriguez
The personal life of this female mathematician is the highlight of this biography. Despite the struggles she faced after moving to the U.S., Velez-Rodriguez was still able to be a strong influence in the field of mathematics. Read more...
New Advent
Catholic Encyclopedia: Simon Stevin
An encyclopedia entry on the life of Simon Stevin is given. Please note that "The Catholic Encyclopedia" is a historic reference source and should be viewed in the context of resource material dated around 1910.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: How the Konigsberg Bridge Problem Changed Mathematics
You'd have a hard time finding the medieval city Konigsberg on any modern maps, but one particular quirk in its geography has made it one of the most famous cities in mathematics. Dan Van der Vieren explains how grappling with...