Mabel Gweneth Humphreys facts for kids

Mabel Gweneth Humphreys was a brilliant mathematician from both Canada and the United States. She taught mathematics at Randolph-Macon Women's College. An important award for women in math, called the M. Gweneth Humphreys Award, is named after her.

Her Early School Days and College

Mabel Gweneth Humphreys went to North Vancouver High School from 1925 to 1928. She was a very bright student.

University Studies

In 1932, she earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics, from the University of British Columbia. She was so good at math that she received scholarships for all four years of her studies there.

She then went to Smith College and earned a master's degree in mathematics in 1933. She continued her studies at the University of Chicago. In 1935, she earned her Ph.D. in mathematics. Her main teacher there was Leonard Eugene Dickson.

Her Career as a Professor

Finding a job after getting her Ph.D. was a bit tricky at first. Mabel Gweneth Humphreys once said that the first job offer went to a male student. She didn't want to take just any job. She wanted to teach advanced mathematics.

First Teaching Jobs

From 1935 to 1936, she taught mathematics and physics at Mount St. Scholastica College. This was a temporary job, but she learned a lot. She said it was a "great apprenticeship."

In 1936, she started teaching at H. Sophie Newcomb Memorial College. She was promoted to assistant professor in 1941. She also taught during the summers at other colleges, like Barnard College and Tulane University.

Leading the Math Department

In 1949, Humphreys joined Randolph-Macon Women's College as an associate professor. After just one year, she became the head of the mathematics department. She held this important position until 1979.

During her time at Randolph-Macon, she took a break in 1955-1956 to visit other universities. She wanted to see how they taught math to college students. From 1962 to 1963, she was a visiting professor at the University of British Columbia.

Helping Other Educators

Mabel Gweneth Humphreys also spent her summers teaching high school math teachers. She helped them learn new ways to teach math. She also worked for the Educational Testing Service and advised the American Council on Education on math courses. She was a very active member of the Mathematical Association of America.

Awards and Her Legacy

Mabel Gweneth Humphreys received a special award in 1932 called the Governor General's Gold Medal. This award was given to the college student with the highest grades in all of Canada.

The M. Gweneth Humphreys Award is named in her honor. This award is given each year by the Association for Women in Mathematics. It celebrates math teachers who inspire and help young women go into math careers.

About Her Life

Mabel Gweneth Humphreys was born on October 22, 1911, in South Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Her mother, Mabel Jane Thomas, was a dressmaker and florist from England. Her father, Richard Humphreys, was a machinist from Wales. She was their only child.

In 1941, she became a citizen of the United States. She enjoyed gardening and reading in her free time. She was also a member of a club that helped maintain the Appalachian Trail.

She lived in Lynchburg, Virginia, after she retired in 1980. She passed away on October 6, 2006.