About
Why did we launch GirlxMRO?
The Problem
We noticed that for young mathematically advanced students, the only opportunity to do interesting and stimulating math tends to be competition math. Competition math can be really fun and rewarding for many, but it also has its shortcomings, particularly for female and nonbinary students.
Competition math is by nature very competitive and also happens to be male-dominated, both of which result in some young girls and gender minorities being discouraged and pushed away. Ultimately, negative experiences with competition math prevent many girls and nonbinary students from continuing to pursue advanced math at all, which only serves to worsen the existing gender gap in mathematics.
Competition math only contains the tip of the iceberg when it comes to advanced math. So many of the concepts that form the basis of advanced math are accessible for young students to study without very much background.
At GirlsxMRO, we are all well acquainted with the gender gap in the field of mathematics and understand how it can be extra difficult for young girls and nonbinary students to pursue math. We all know what it feels like to be the only girl in the room and we understand the importance of connecting with other female and nonbinary students who do math and having mentors who are girls. Since the focus on competition math for young math students makes pursuing more difficult for girls and nonbinary students, we also understand that to combat the gender gap in mathematics, it is necessary to encourage and support other avenues of pursuing advanced math.
Our Solution
GirlsxMRO strives to address this issue by introducing math-talented girls and nonbinary students to various topics in advanced mathematics via FREE lectures and reading groups. With the lectures, we aim to pique students' interest in several advanced math fields. With the reading groups, we hope to give students a chance to dive deeper into the topic with guidance from a mentor as well as help build community between the students in each group. Students are not required to make full commitments to our program, see more details on commitments at the Program page.
Who are the founders/mentors?
We are girls in high school and college who love math and been involved in various mathematical activities since we were young. We have participated in various math contests as well as been selected for very prestigious math programs. In particular, many of us attended Canada/USA Mathcamp and worked on math research projects with MIT PRIMES, and these programs are what brought us all together.
To learn more about us, visit the Team page →
What is the GirlxMRO Program?
The GirlsxMRO program consists of several FREE Zoom lectures and reading groups in which we introduce younger girls and nonbinary students to a variety of advanced math topics. These topics are not usually taught in the classroom or found in math contests, and yet they form the foundations of entire fields of research. Our summer program will not only give our students a glimpse into the world of advanced math, but also help build a math community with other girls and nonbinary students like them.
For more information, visit the Program page →
When/where is this taking place?
The 2024 GirlsxMRO summer program dates are TBD. All live sessions and reading group meetings will be conducted over Zoom. Participating in a reading group will also involve some asynchronous time commitment for that week. Students are encouraged to participate in all live sessions and at least one of the reading groups but can choose to participate in as many events as they like.
To find more details about timing from the 2023 Program, visit the Schedule page →
Who is eligible for the program?
The GirlsxMRO program is open to 7th to 10th grade female and nonbinary students who are 13 and older. We also require that our students have a solid understanding of Algebra I, and we may have additional prerequisites for each reading group. Students can attend as many live sessions and can choose to apply for as many reading groups as they would like.
To find more specific eligibility criteria, visit the Eligibility page →
How do I participate?
If you are eligible to participate in GirlsxMRO's summer program and would like to do so, please join the mailing list! Even if you are not yet sure about your summer plans, we encourage you to join. You will be notified via email when the official registration opens. Participation is FREE of charge.
For more details about registration, visit the Registration page →
How can I support GirlsxMRO?
The best way you can help us out is to spread the word about GirlsxMRO. Please like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and share our program information with any female or nonbinary students you know who may be interested in participating in the future (our website link is girlsxmro.org). We really appreciate your support!