Guacolda Antoine Lazzerini facts for kids

Guacolda Antoine Lazzerini (born April 11, 1908 – died August 22, 2015) was a brilliant Chilean mathematician and a dedicated teacher. She spent her life helping students understand the world of numbers and shapes. She was a pioneer, becoming one of the first women to hold important leadership roles in Chilean universities.

A Life of Learning and Teaching

Guacolda's father passed away when she was a teenager. To help her family, she started teaching mathematics. In 1924, she began studying at the University of Chile to become a teacher. By 1928, she had earned her degree as a professor of mathematics and physics. Her final project was about differential equations and how they could be used in teaching and engineering.

After graduating, Guacolda became a high school mathematics teacher at the Liceo José Victorino Lastarria (Santiago). She taught there for 30 years, sharing her love for math with many students.

University Professor

Besides high school, Guacolda also taught at the Instituto Superior de Comercio from 1928 to 1931. There, she also became an actuary in 1929, which means she was an expert in calculating risks, often for insurance.

In 1933, she became an assistant professor at the University of Chile. By 1954, her hard work led her to become a full professor there. She also taught at Chile's school for industrial engineers starting in 1947. This school later joined with the Universidad Técnica del Estado (UTE) in 1953.

Leading the Way

Guacolda helped start The Kent School, a private school in Santiago, in 1953. From 1958 to 1962, she held a very important position at UTE, similar to a dean. She was the first woman to reach such a high leadership role at UTE!

Later, from 1963 to 1968, she led the mathematics department at the University of Chile. In the 1950s and 1960s, she also represented Chile at several international meetings about teaching mathematics. Guacolda retired in 1985, but she continued to be involved in mathematics for many years.

A Book for Parents

In 1971, Guacolda co-wrote a book called Nuevas Matematicas Para Los Padres (which means New Mathematics for Parents). She wrote it with María Lara. The book was about "New Math" and set theory, which were popular ways of teaching math at the time.

Her Family Life

Guacolda was born on April 11, 1908, in Santiago, Chile. She was one of seven children. Her mother was from Italy and her father was from France. Both of her parents moved to Chile as children. In 1944, Guacolda married Arcadio Escobar Zapata, who was a high school inspector. They had two children together. Guacolda passed away on August 22, 2015, at the age of 107.

Honors and Awards

Guacolda Antoine's amazing work was recognized many times. In 1992, she was nominated for the National Education Award. This award honors people who have made a big difference in education in Chile. In 1997, she was also honored by a group of women engineers during their celebration of International Women's Day.

See also

In Spanish: Guacolda Antoine para niños