Miscellaneous Abstracts

Comments on the now famous Benbow-Stanley report in Science magazine on sex differences in mathematical ability. Crucial experiments

The Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Mathematics, Science and Engineering consists of different programs to attract and retain women in the science professions. The project, which began in 1986, is under implementation at Rutgers University's Douglass College. Based on mentoring and female support, the project includes science and math camps as well as summer orientations on college life. Educating for persistence

Interview with Ellen Mappen, director of Rutgers University's Douglass Project for Rutgers Women in Math, Science and Engineering, which is a multi-pronged effort to attract and retain female students in the science fields. Mappen says she shaped the grant proposal that launched the project out of her own experiences of sexual discrimination in the academe. The program, which targets both high-school and college students, has driven enrollment of math and science majors to more than 30% between 1988 and 1993. Teacher who gave mock test resigns

Charles Routen resigns over mathematics test with questions about drug dealers, pimps and illicit sex. L. Babcock and S. Laschever, Women Don’t Ask

This book skillfully and comprehensively documents gender differences in negotiations.

M. Birenbaum and R. Kraemer, Gender and ethnic-group differences in causal attributions for success and failure in mathematics and language examinations

In a study of 333 ninth grade Jewish and Arab high school students in Israel, to determine how they attribute failure and success in mathematics and English, Arabic and Hebrew language examinations show that ethnicity is the primary cause of different attribution patterns. Gender plays a secondary role in success attributions. The endorsement level of Arab students was higher for success attributions and lower for failure attributions for all four subjects V. I. Cherian, Gender, socioeconomic status, and mathematics achievement by Xhosa children

A study of gender and socioeconomic status differences in mathematics achievement revealed that girls from low socioeconomic status performed better than boys belonging to their economic class, whereas boys belonging to middle or high socioeconomic status performed better than girls. This was because girls from low socioeconomic status have to do household chores and they are trained to be a wife, a housekeeper and mother. Boys belonging to low socioeconomic status travel a lot, as a result of which they experience fatigue and are not able study. M. Elias, Programs give math and science majors a needed boost

Although experts indicate that black college students and women preparing for math-related careers are endangered species on US campuses, some cutting-edge programs are out there aiming to guarantee they survive and thrive. J. Ernest, Mathematics and Sex

Report of an undergraduate research seminar at the University of California at Santa Barbara J. Fitzpatrick, Women's Lives, Women's Roles

"Women Who Dare(d) Project," a yearlong celebration of women in the arts, in mathematics, English, science, and physical education, is featured. The program was begun by Amanda Wallner, a teacher at Adams Middle School in Guilford CT S. Gupta and R. Anderson, Sex, AIDS and mathematics

An algorithm was developed to predict the course of HIV infection in a population even with scarce information on sexual behavior. First, people are stratified into groups according to their degree of sexual activity, defined as the average number of new sexual partners a person has in a year. Second, a mathematical matrix is used to study the varying levels of sexual activity mixing. However, different matrices have to be developed to account for the different mixing patterns in the population. C. O’Neil, Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy

Cathy O’Neil is a Harvard PhD in number theory who has taught at Barnard and worked for a hedge fund and as a data scientist for various start-ups. In this book, O’Neil provides many example of the misuse of data and prediction models in a wide variety of areas.

S. P. Restivo, Math worlds:philosophical and social studies of mathematics and mathematics education

Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Promethean task of bringing mathematics to earth / Sal Restivo -- Foundations of mathematics or mathematical practice : is one forced to choose? / Jean Paul Van Bendegem -- Naturalized epistemology for a Platonist mathematical ontology / Michael D. Resnik -- Mathematical skepticism : are we brains in a countable vat? / Thomas Tymoczko -- Philosophical problems of mathematics in the light of evolutionary epistemology / Yehuda Rav -- Mathematics as a means and as a system / Roland Fischer -- Reflections on the foundations of research on women and mathematics / Helga Jungwirth --Politicizing the mathematics classroom / Nel Noddings -- Dialogical nature of reflective knowledge / Ole Skovsmose -- Applied mathematics as social contract / Philip J. Davis -- Mathematics and social change / Roland Fischer -- Social system of mathematics and national socialism : a survey / Herbert Mehrtens -- Social life of mathematics / Sal Restivo

C. A. Scott, Geometry

Geometry textbook written by algebraic geometer Charlotte Scott, one of first women Ph.D.'s in mathematics in England. K. Storey, Two games take task out of math

Two new games created by Detroit-area residents Karen Orr Godfrey and Julie Fisher may help kids forget they're learning about math. Godfrey's game, Moneywise Kids, already is a hit in Ann Arbor MI. Hive Alive, created by Fisher, was first used to teach number values to middle school students in Virginia. The games are being marketed by Aristoplay educational game company in Ann Arbor.