Sylvia de Neymet facts for kids

Sylvia de Neymet Urbina (also known as Silvia de Neymet de Christ, 1939 – 13 January 2003) was a very important Mexican mathematician. She made history by being the first woman in Mexico to earn a special degree called a doctorate in mathematics. She was also the first female professor in the science department at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM).

Early Life and Learning Journey

Sylvia de Neymet was born in Mexico City in 1939. Her mother had a tough start, becoming an orphan during the Mexican Revolution of 1910. She studied art and became a teacher, always encouraging Sylvia in her studies. Sylvia's grandmother on her father's side was also a teacher, and her father was an engineer.

In 1955, Sylvia began studying at the Universidad Femenina de México, a school for women. By her fourth year there, she was hired as a mathematics teacher herself! This was quite amazing because many of her students were older than her.

After studying math for two years in Paris, France, from 1959 to 1961, Sylvia returned to Mexico. She earned her mathematics degree in 1961. Her main project, called a thesis, was about differential equations. A famous mathematician named Solomon Lefschetz helped her with it.

Around the same time, a new research center called CINVESTAV was created. Sylvia became one of its first students. She was also the first student to work on a doctorate with Samuel Gitler Hammer, who helped start CINVESTAV.

In 1962, Sylvia married Michael Christ, a doctor from France. While she was still finishing her doctorate, she started teaching at the Escuela Superior de Física y Matemáticas. She finished her doctorate in 1966. This made her one of the first seven people in Mexico to earn a math doctorate, and the very first Mexican woman to do so!

Career and Lasting Impact

After getting her doctorate, Sylvia de Neymet joined the science faculty at UNAM. She was one of only three full-time mathematicians there. She continued her career at UNAM for many years, teaching and inspiring others. She passed away on 13 January 2003.

Her book, Introducción a los grupos topológicos de transformaciones (which means 'Introduction to topological transformation groups'), was published in 2005, after she had passed away. It shows her lasting contribution to mathematics.

See also

In Spanish: Sylvia de Neymet para niños