Sanoli Gun is a number theorist whose early interest in mathematics evolved into an academic career mentoring students and doing research that she immensely enjoys. She has been deeply involved in various initiatives to improve the representation of women in mathematics. We spoke to her about these efforts, her journey, challenges faced by women, and future initiatives to support women in mathematics.
Until recently, all other continents except Asia had such regional associations. The inception of an organization for Asia was spurred by an article by Korean mathematics Professors Loon-Yi Kang and Kyewon Koh Park about women mathematicians in their country. This initiated discussions about creating a regional committee for Asia and Oceania, encouraged by Marie-Françoise Roy, the then chair of the CWM.
After an online meeting of CWM ambassadors from Asia and Oceania during the pandemic, the Asian Oceanian Women in Mathematics (AOWM) was officially formed on 1st August 2022. Sanoli Gun, Professor of Mathematics from The Institute of Mathematical Sciences (IMSc), Chennai was elected its first President. The first meeting of the Asian Oceanian Women in Mathematics (AOWM) was held in hybrid mode at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bangalore in spring 2023.
Participants of the inaugural meeting of the Asian Oceanian Women in Mathematics held at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bangalore between 24-28 April 2023. (Photo: AOWM)An early interest in mathematics
“I am a number theorist. In number theory we look at numbers and find patterns among them,” explains Sanoli about her area of research. Prime numbers are the building blocks of numbers, and a number theorist works to understand how they are distributed in different set-ups, she adds. “The kinds of areas I have worked on are modular forms, L-functions, sieve methods, algebraic number theory and transcendental number theory.”
“Mathematics appealed to me from an early age,” says Sanoli about her interest in maths. “I didn't have to memorize much, I just had to understand things.” She stuck to it, realizing that finishing her maths homework fastest meant that she had a lot more time to play. “I always enjoyed it and did not think of it as work,” Sanoli says about her affinity for mathematics. “I still feel the same way.”
During her PhD several years later, women role models made a difference when she was surrounded by predominantly male peers at the Harish-Chandra Research Institute, Allahabad. Sanoli recollects attending a talk by the late physicist Rohini Godbole (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore) that left a deep impression on her during this time. A supportive environment with encouragement from faculty nurtured her interests further and she became the first woman PhD to graduate from the institute in 2006.
Confronting hurdles
“The main idea [of AOWM] is to facilitate women to take up higher studies in mathematics and to form a bridge between those already pursuing higher education,” Sanoli says about the association’s vision. Each country has its academic strengths, and interactions between women across regions benefit everyone, she adds.
The official logo of the Asian Oceanian Women in Mathematics was unveiled recently following a logo design competition.
However, it can be tricky to tailor the committee’s efforts to reach women researchers across countries with very different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. There is a lot of diversity even within Asia, admits Sanoli. Despite some common challenges across regions, activities aimed at women mathematicians in the west may not address the issues faced in India. “We need to translate these efforts to fit our perspective,” she clarifies.
Sanoli says that India is doing really well in terms of the number of women mathematicians and the quality of work. However, we still have to overcome several challenges.
Girls and women living away from major towns and cities in India face challenges related to access and cost of education. Many girls may not have high schools and colleges near their hometowns. The financial burden of travel and living away from home, along with concerns about security may dissuade families from letting women pursue higher education. “We need to look at this problem more seriously,” stresses Sanoli.
Women who manage to finish higher education and are interested in a research career continue to face challenges. They are at an age where they may face pressure to get married, where the family may not understand the demands of a PhD. In such a situation, it can be very challenging to dedicate sufficient time and effort to research, while also shouldering responsibilities of a household and young children. “It is much harder for women because they are expected to somehow find a balance between work and family life,” Sanoli says.
It can also work against them when applying for postdoc or faculty positions, where evaluation committees may not account for maternity breaks. Sanoli says that the academic careers of women suffer because of this. Even when systems are put in place to tackle this issue, they may not always be implemented. People who are calling the shots in such committees need to be honest to themselves, she emphasises.
Another issue Sanoli comes across is the deep-set perception that women can’t be good at mathematics. This can be disheartening for girls and young women who are likely to face negative attitudes in their places of study, she says. “You do not need to prove what you can do to anybody, only you know what your true capacity is. If your heart's in it, you will be amazed at your potential when you put in the hard work,” she says, urging young women to look beyond such discrimination.
Plans for the future
The second AOWM workshop was held in the University of Auckland, New Zealand a few months ago. The program had plenary talks about fostering early career mathematicians, the prevalence of sexism in academia, advice on advancing one’s career and addressing imposter syndrome.
Participants of the second workshop of the Asian Oceanian Women in Mathematics held at the University of Auckland from 6-9 December 2024. (Photo: AOWM)
Some of the research papers presented at this and the inaugural meeting will be published in a special Asia-Oceania collection of La Matematica, the journal of the Association for Women in Mathematics. The journal is also inviting papers from other women mathematicians across academic levels for this issue. “Submissions are open till 30th September this year and I encourage people to submit their work,” Sanoli says.
Recently, IMSc hosted a Number Theory Working Group Meeting where half of the participants were women, a rare phenomenon in mathematics. Researchers met each other, discussed ideas and floated research proposals as groups. Students attending the meeting were free to join any of these groups. Sanoli acknowledges the willingness and encouragement from IMSc Director, V Ravindran, to financially support such activities, which are valuable for the community.
Researchers at the Number Theory Group Meeting hosted at IMSc from 27-31 March 2025. (Photo: IMSc Media)
At the AOWM, Sanoli and others are discussing the possibility of starting a virtual university to make mathematics education accessible to women in remote areas. “We need to think out of the box,” says Sanoli. They are currently looking at formally registering AOWM as a society and developing an equitable membership plan to accommodate anyone who wants to join them. This will be the first step before developing and implementing programs.
Sanoli will soon be taking charge as the chair of the Indian Women in Mathematics. Incidentally, this collective also traces its history to the 2010 International Conference of Women Mathematicians in Hyderabad. When Sanoli steps down as the chair of AOWM, Yukari Ito, a Professor at the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo will take its helm. “A single person should not hold the position for a long time,” Sanoli says. “It is important that different people be at the top and try to make a difference.”
On the personal front, Sanoli is busy teaching courses and mentoring her students. “I think the only way forward is to educate our next generation, hoping that the number of mathematicians goes up and they go out and produce more students. Apart from doing our research, that is the only way we can make a difference.”
Past and present students from Sanoli Gun’s group along with some of their students. “I think the only way forward is to educate our next generation hoping that they go out and produce more students,” says Sanoli. (Photo: Sanoli Gun)Further reading:
Fifty Years of Women in Mathematics: Reminiscences, History, and Visions for the Future of AWM, Edited by Janet L Beery, Sarah J Greenwald and Cathy Kessel, Association for Women Mathematics Series, Springer Nature, 2022.
