Alice T. Schafer facts for kids

Alice Turner Schafer (born June 18, 1915 – died September 27, 2009) was an American mathematician. She was a very important person in helping women succeed in math. She was one of the people who started the Association for Women in Mathematics in 1971.

Early Life and Education

Alice Elizabeth Turner was born on June 18, 1915, in Richmond, Virginia. She was very smart and earned a full scholarship to study at the University of Richmond. At that time, it was unusual for women to study math. Alice was the only female math student there. Women were not even allowed in the campus library!

Despite these challenges, Alice was an amazing student. She won a special math prize, the James D. Crump Prize, in her third year. She finished her bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1936.

After college, Alice worked as a high school teacher for three years. She saved money to pay for her advanced studies, called graduate school.

Alice then went to the University of Chicago to get her Ph.D. in mathematics. She studied a special area called differential geometry of curves. This field looks at the shapes and properties of curves. She wrote about her discoveries in important math journals.

While studying in Chicago, she met Richard Schafer. He was also getting his Ph.D. in math. Alice and Richard got married in 1942 after they both finished their doctorates. They had two sons together.

Teaching and Helping Others

After earning her Ph.D., Alice Schafer taught at many colleges. These included Connecticut College, Swarthmore College, and the University of Michigan. In 1962, she became a full professor at Wellesley College. Her husband, Richard, was also a mathematician. He worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Alice was known for being a wonderful teacher. She especially wanted to help students who found math difficult or were scared of it. She created special classes just for them. She cared a lot about helping high school students, especially girls, do well in mathematics.

Founding the Association for Women in Mathematics

In 1971, Alice Schafer became one of the founding members of the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). This group was created to support and encourage women in math. Alice was later chosen to be the second President of the AWM. Under her leadership, the AWM became an official organization in 1973.

Alice was named the Helen Day Gould Professor of Mathematics at Wellesley in 1980. She retired from Wellesley that same year. However, she stayed for two more years to lead Wellesley's Affirmative Action Program. This program helps make sure everyone has fair opportunities.

Even after retiring from Wellesley, Alice kept teaching! She taught at Simmons College and helped with a management program at Radcliffe College. Her husband retired in 1988, and they moved to Arlington, Virginia. But Alice still wanted to teach. She became a math professor at Marymount University until she retired for a second time in 1996.

Awards and Honors

Alice Schafer received many awards for her important work in mathematics.

• In 1964, she received an honorary degree from the University of Richmond. This is a special award given by a university.
• In 1985, she was chosen as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a big honor for scientists.

In 1990, the Association for Women in Mathematics created a special award in her honor. It is called the Alice T. Schafer Mathematics Prize. This prize is given to young women who show great skill in mathematics. It celebrates Alice's dedication to helping women in math.

In January 1998, she received another important award. It was the Yueh-Gin Gung and Dr Charles Y Hu Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics. This award came from the Mathematical Association of America.

See also

In Spanish: Alice Tuner-Schafer para niños