Indigenous Mathematicians and Scientists

When this resource was posted to Twitter a few weeks ago, it was shared quite a bit, so perhaps it needed a "home." Thank you to those of you who have shared stories and profiles of people who were not initially on this list - they have since been added.


If students are to be successful in learning and exploring math, they need to believe in their intrinsic ability to think mathematically, an ability we ALL have. Part of this self-confidence develops (or is reinforced) when students can "see themselves" in others who have made great strides in maths and sciences, or who have made impactful contributions to their field. For many reasons, Indigenous learners are not often able to see themselves in that light in math and science.

The following is the beginning of a list of Indigenous role models in mathematics and science, along with images and links to learn more about them and their work. The emphasis is on those residing/studying in Canada, however the list is not restricted to any one country.

Teachers - please reference these role models as we teach! Many of them are doing unique work in blending the traditional knowledges of their ancestors with modern discoveries and practices. And as mentioned, this is just a start - please reach out (or @HTheijsmeijer on Twitter) if you know of anyone who should be added.

To see the document in its own tab, you can click here.


In many cultures, based in part on colonial practices, there is a strong aversion to standing out or drawing attention to oneself. The last thing I want to do is make anyone uncomfortable by highlighting them here. Please, if you find yourself on this list, but wish not to be, let me know and the information will be immediately removed, with my apologies.

Comments

  1. John GoldenJuly 15, 2020 at 7:20 PM

    I think my colleague David Austin could be on this list. Cf. http://merganser.math.gvsu.edu/david/

    ReplyDelete

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