Great Women Productions

Great Women of Math

Portrait Subjects

Florence Nightingale

A trailblazing figure in nursing who greatly affected 19th- and 20th-century policies around proper medical care, Florence used statistics to prove that unsanitary health care increased mortality.

Ada Byron

She was a mathematician, scientist, writer and a lady - Lady Lovelace; ultimately, she was known as the "prophet of the computer age" for her visionary ideas regarding the potential uses of computational machines. Who was Ada Lovelace? Answer: the first tech visionary.

Marie-Sophie Germain

She was forced to study math in secret at night. Her parents took away her light, her fire, even her clothes, to get her to stop. Didn't work. This math whiz ended up pioneering elasticity theory. (In physics, elasticity is the ability of a body to resist a distorting influence and return to its original size and shape when that influence or force is removed.)

Emmy Noether

Discrimination dogged Emmy's career - yet, she persisted... and came up with one of the most important mathematical theorems in modern physics: a crucial underpinning of laws governing everything from the rotation of a wheel or the orbits of planets around stars, to the mathematical frameworks of quantum and particle physics.

Maria Gaetana Agnesi

Her pioneering role in the history of mathematics serves as an inspiring story of triumph over gender stereotypes: little-known, Maria was a true trailblazer for women in math and science.

Sophie Kowalevski

Math whiz (made great contributions to analysis, partial differential equations and mechanics), Sophie was the first woman to obtain a doctorate in mathematics.

Hypatia of Alexandria

Greek mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher in 4th & 5th century Egypt, Hypatia was recognized for her commentaries on prominent mathematical works of her time.

Euphemia Lofton Haynes

Euphemia Lofton Haynes was the first African-American woman to earn a PhD in mathematics.

Dr. Marie Equi, fierce feminist physician

Artist Jo Napier helps you invite Great Women into your professional space: creating Great Women portrait commissions, like this one of Oregon physician, feminist, and fierce advocate for women's rights, Dr. Marie Equi (30 x 40 oil pastel and acrylic)