Activity Report of AWMA’s Workshop that was held on December 6^th and 7^th 2018, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 

Event: AWMA’s 3^rd Workshop

Theme: Inspiring Young Girls to Appreciate Mathematics; Mathematics the tool; Mathematics the indispensible tool for Science and Technology

Date: 2018, 12, 6-7 

Region: East Africa 

Country: Ethiopia

City: Addis Ababa

Venue: Ministry of Innovation and Technology (MINT)

Contact Info: Yirgalem Tsegaye KIfle(PhD)

Department of Mathematics, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

AWMA Vice President for the Eastern Region of Africa

Number of Attendees 91

Women attendees: 65 

A short report on activities about women in mathematics:

As mentioned there were 91 participants out of which 65 were women from all over the country, including those from 11 other African countries. AWMA members, Female mathematicians and Mathematics Educators (both from Universities and High schools) and Senior Women in Science and other guests from relevant institutions. 

As per the theme of the conference, “Inspiring girls to appreciate the field of mathematics; mathematics the indispensible tool in science and technology”, we had invited speakers on topics relating girls and mathematics. One of the invited speaker, Mrs. Asegedech Shawl talked on the topic: Students’ Attitudes towards “Female Mathematics Teachers”; Lessons From my experience. She talked about her own experience when placed to teach mathematics right after her graduation(BSc. In mathematics) at some High school in Eritrea. The participants liked it! 

The other female invited speaker was the former Minister of Education in Ethiopia, and also the first female minister of the country. Dr. Gennet talked on “ Ethiopian Girls’ education on STEM”. She presented kind of how Ethiopian girls’ education progressed from the “No, you are a girl, you can’t take a course in math” kind of approach to “ Let’s inspire girls to the fields of Math and Science”, even if we still need to do a lot. 

Dr. ambassador Gennet shared her accumulated knowledge and experience as she passes from a student in the emperor’s time to a minister of education- ambassador of Ethiopia to India, and now retired but still fighting for girls’ right to math and science education and more. Participants liked that too. 

The “Queen of Mathematics” award was also the nucleus of the program that really was in symphony with the theme of the workshop. Two girls, the best of the best five female grade 12 students and the best of the best five female grade 8 students were awarded the “Queen of Mathematics” prize at the end of the second(last) day of the conference. 

We hope to host the 2019’s “Queen of Mathematics” award and it is going to be from all over the country. This means it requires travel, accommodation and food expenses and of course prizes, which includes: Some cash, books, custom-made sash on which “Queen of Mathematics” is embroidered, and a tiara for each of the two winners. Educational Institutions and organizations working along with them have promised to assist us in continuing our “Queen of Mathematics project”.

The workshop which included women mathematicians from other African countries was unique of its kind and of course it ended up being a headline of news papers in the city, and was also in the news on a number of TV channels. For the first time in the history of Ethiopian education, Ethiopians know the existence of an association called African Women in Mathematics and that it is determined to attract young girls to join the field of mathematics and it was discussed a lot. The idea of “queen of mathematics “award was really smart and attractive. Parents and educators were really happy and hoped to see it continue. 

We were looking forward to having AWMA’s general meeting here in Addis Ababa. The problem was that many couldn’t attend as expected because of financial problems. Unless we solve the funding problems AWMA is facing we can’t go ahead with our plans. For example, the election of new executive members was postponed for the second time now. So, this is an outstanding issue to solve, if we have to go ahead promoting mathematics and female mathematicians in Africa and inspire many more girls to join us. 

We women mathematicians in Ethiopia have also discussed how badly we need to form our “Ethiopian Women in Mathematics”, especially now that we saw how tough it was to organize this workshop; empowerment comes as a result of networking. In fact, it could be one temporary solution to use our small local networks in each country, and technology to unite us and conduct our general assembly somehow virtually when it seems to be impossible to organize it at one location. The possibility of voting using ICT, which was mentioned by Prof. Marie Francoise Ouedraogo, could probably be realized this way; though it requires further deliberations and exhausting other means. 

A short report of academic activities: 

Of course there were a number of presentations in mathematical modeling. 

Schehrazad Selmane

Predictive model application to Scorpion Envenommation, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene. Algeria 

Manalebish Debalike Asfaw 

Modelling Treatment Switching: As drug resistance develops for HIV, patients may switch from one drug cocktail to another. Is there an optimal time to switch treatments? Department of Mathematics, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Mary Fomboh-Nforba 

Modelling the Malaria Vector Population Dynamics: A Reproductive Stage-structured Mode, l Yah, University of Buea, P.O.Box 63 Buea, Cameroon

Ibtissam Medarhri

Some Numericals methods in Finance and Environment Mines – Rabat, Morocco

kaouthar Boubekeur

On the use of count regression models for modelling monthly scorpion sting cases, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene. Algeria

Prof. Senelani Hove-Musekwa

Cost-effectiveness analysis of hospitalization and home-based care strategies for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in high prevalence areas

28 ABBOT AVENUE, PADDONHURST, BULAWAYO, ZIMBABWE

Safia Manar Elislam Benoumhani

On Permutation Polynomials Over Finite Fields, kaouthar Boubekeur, University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene. Algeria

Prof. F. Z. Nouri

Mathematics in Medecine and Pharmacology Laboratoire de Modlisation Mathmatique et Simulation Numrique Universit Badji Mokhtar, Annaba, Algeria

Chisara Ogbogbo

A Mathematical model of climate, Department of Mathematics, University of Ghana 

Dr Entisar Alrasheed

Stochastic models in science and technology University of Bahri - College of computer science and mathematics – Sudan Achamyelesh Amare

Analysis of a mathematical model of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia Wollo University, Ethiopia

Future Plan 

We are planning to Continue with the “Queen of Mathematics project-

1. Continue picking the best two girls from the whole country( one from 8^th grade and one from 12^th grade) every year and award them

2. Create interest in those who believe that they are not meant to be mathematicians or to do mathematics at all

   1. By making use of Summer camps to invite some female students from remote areas and help them see various aspects of Mathematics

   2. By paying visits to female students in remote areas and do the same

   3. Introduce little incentives( awards) to be administered by the Educational Bureaus in the vicinity to strengthen competitiveness among girls

   4. To do some researches in cooperation with interested groups, and address issues that impede girls from being attracted to the fields of Mathematics. 

 Educational Institutions and organizations working along with them have promised to assist us in continuing our “Queen of Mathematics project”. So of what remains from CWM’s fund, we will prepare 2019’s “Queen of Mathematics” award and it is going to be from all over the country. This means it requires travel, accommodation and food expenses and of course prizes, which includes: Some cash, books, custom-made sash on which “Queen of Mathematics” is embroidered, and a tiara for each of the two winners. 

Conclusions and recommendations:

Many female educators who never had access either to the news or exposure to such a workshop in mathematics was really inspirational. They saw great African women mathematicians with a lot of self-confidence. On the other hand, most of the lectures were on applications of mathematics; this has given them the opportunity to see where mathematics could be applied to solve real world problems. Moreover, networking is also another advantage of such a workshop. Many young women in mathematics were introduced to lady mathematicians who are experienced in the area, hopefully they will continue to communicate via emails and facebook. 

Sponsors:

• CWM 

• ISP, Sweden

• Ministry of Innovation and Technology 

• LMS-AMMSI CONFERENCE TRAVEL GRANTS

Motivation: The conference “African Women in Mathematics: Challenging Questions” is designed to explore challenging questions in mathematics, encourage collaborative problem-solving, and provide a platform for discussions on the future of African women in mathematics. The inclusion of workshops, presentations, and panel discussions aims to engage participants actively in addressing mathematical challenges and fostering a supportive community. We are planning also to host a General Assembly of the African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA).

1.Objectives

bring together African mathematicians to work together, share their motivation, and discover women from different countries to different career levels, who can be considered as role models.

launch new research projects and collaborations between mathematicians from different African countries.

Create new contacts and mentoring networks for young women embarking on mathematical research.

Teach new programming skills to African women mathematicians.

And finally, contribute to the SageMath software and train new users and contributors.

2. Conference Planning and organization

Organizing and Scientific Committees:

Selma Negzaoui (Université de Monastir, Tunisia)

Marie Françoise Ouedraogo (Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso) 

Sophie Dabo (Université de Lille, France)

Elisa Lorenzo Garcia (Université de Rennes 1, France; and Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland)

Ini Adinya (University of Ibadan, Nigeria)

Bernadette Faye (Université de Bambey, Senegal)

Olivia Nabawanda (Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda)

3. Main Lecturers and programme for the conference

Pr Moustapha Fall, AIMS Senegal

Pr Ali Baklouti, Vice-rector, Sfax University 

Dr Mpfareleni Rejoice Gavi, manager for the AIMS House of Science

Pr Boutheina Ben Hassine, Gender Equality Office, University of Sousse 

Halima Ouanada, We4Lead project, Tunis El Manar University

Raissa Malu, Physicist, international education consultant, promoter of Science and Technology Week, DR Congo

Pr Josephine Guidi-Wandja, AWMA vice-presidente West Africa

Pr Entissar Elrasheed, AWMA vice-presidente East Africa

Pr Sibusiso Moyo, AWMA vice-presidente South Africa

Pr Mary Fomboh, AWMA vice-presidente Central Africa

Pr Selma Negzaoui, AWMA vice-presidente North Africa

Day 1: Navigating Challenges in Mathematics

Morning Session: Opening Ceremony

09:00 - 09:30: Registration and Welcome Coffee

09:30 - 10:00: Opening Remarks by AWMA President

10:00 - 10:30: Keynote Address: "Exploring the Frontiers: Challenges and Opportunities in African Mathematics"

10:30 - 11:00: Icebreaker Activity

11:00 - 12:30: Panel Discussion: Identifying and Addressing Key Challenges in African Mathematics and women in mathematics

12:30 – 14:00: Networking Lunch

Afternoon Session: Unveiling Mathematical Puzzles

14:00 - 15:30: 

- Workshop: Tackling Mathematical Challenges – Strategies and Solutions

- Presentation: "Beyond the Obvious: Unconventional Mathematical Questions"

15:30 - 16:00: Coffee Break

16:00 - 17:30: Roundtable Discussions: Collaborative Approaches to Mathematical Problem-Solving

Day 2: Exploring New Horizons

Morning Session: Mathematical Inquiry

09:00 - 10:30: Parallel Sessions - Research Presentations on Challenging Questions1

10:30 - 11:00: Coffee Break 

11:00 - 12:30: Parallel Sessions - Research Presentations on Challenging Questions2

12:30 – 14:00: Networking Lunch

Afternoon Session: Beyond Boundaries

14:00 - 15:30: Panel Discussion: Pushing the Limits – Breaking Barriers in Mathematics

15:30 - 16:00: Coffee Break

16:00 - 017:30: Panel Discussion: Strategies for Gender Equality in Mathematics

Day 3: The Future of African Women in Mathematics

Morning Session: The next generation

09:00 - 10:30: Workshop: Strategies for Encouraging Young Women in Mathematics

10:30 - 11:00: Presentation: "Inspiring the Next Generation: Mentorship and Role Models"

12:30 - 14:30: Networking Lunch

Afternoon Session: AWMA General Assembly

14:00 - 015:30: AWMA General Assembly

15:30 - 16:00: Coffee Break

16:00 - 16:30: Closing Ceremony 

  Logos of our sponsors and collaborators:

Registration is open now: https://forms.gle/Sc9TSkVJ8hxHY7Sv9

 See also : https://sites.google.com/view/women-in-sage-tunisia/home

“Women in SAGE-Tunisia” is part of a long tradition of conferences (https://wiki.sagemath.org/Workshops). SageMath is free mathematics software developed by the research community, students, and research engineers. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions as well as on the one-off funding of research projects. We already organized WIS-Africa days in several countries (Senegal 2021, Nigeria 2022, Uganda 2023 and Burundi 2024). All have been successful (see for example http://africanwomeninmath.org/activities/conference). Not only, the participants improved their programming skills, contributed to the software, but they also created research collaborations and gained confidence in their own skills. We believe that Women in Sage days organized in diverses countries of Africa with the support of AWMA is an opportunity for the whole community.

1.Objectives

• bring together African mathematicians to work together, share their motivation, and discover women from different countries to different career levels, who can be considered as role models.
• launch new research projects and collaborations between mathematicians from different African countries.
• Create new contacts and mentoring networks for young women embarking on mathematical research.
• Teach new programming skills to African women mathematicians.
• And finally, contribute to the SageMath software and train new users and contributors.

2. Conference Planning and organization

Organizing and Scientific Committees:

• Selma Negzaoui (Université de Monastir, Tunisia)
• Marie Françoise Ouedraogo (Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso) 
• Sophie Dabo (Université de Lille, France)
• Elisa Lorenzo Garcia (Université de Rennes 1, France; and Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland)
• Ini Adinya (University of Ibadan, Nigeria)
• Bernadette Faye (Université de Bambey, Senegal)
• Olivia Nabawanda (Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda)

3. Main Lecturers and programme for WIS-Tunisia

(Project leaders): The main project leaders include:

• Valérie Garès (France): Statistics. 
• Ini Adinya (University of Ibadan, Nigeria): Applied Math - Financial Mathematics. 
• Nahla Abdellatif (Tunisia): Dynamical Systems
• Loubna Ghammam (Tunisia): Cryptography
• Lola Thompson, (Utrecht University, The Netherlands): Harmonic Analysis
• Olivia Nabawanda (Uganda): PDE

Our event is a collaborative conference addressed to young African researchers and graduate students. Particularly, but not exclusively, to young female researchers. There will be at least 6 research projects. All the main project leaders have confirmed their participation. The program will also include discussions on gender balance and women in mathematics.

Tentative schedule:

- 2 months before the conference: online event of introduction to Sage and opening of a workshop chat via the Zulip platform to encourage the contact between the participants and the group leaders before the in-person part of the workshop.

- During the workshop (30 September-04 October 2025): working in groups from Monday to Thursday and some talks and panels on Women in Mathematics presenting AWMA, EAUMP, UGAWOM and CIMPA opportunities. On Friday participants will present projects that will have been given to them during the week. More explicitly:

Monday

9:00 welcome, information, introduction of the organisers and group leaders.

9:30 Project’s description

10:30 break

11:00 open/install SAGE

13:00 lunch

14:30 Working in groups time

16:00 break

16:30 Talk Why to organise "Women in …" events?

19: dinner

Tuesday

9:00 Working in groups time

10:30 break

11:00 Working in groups time

13:00 lunch

14:30 Working in groups time

16:00 break

16:30 Working in groups time

19:00 dinner

Wednesday

9:00 Working in groups time

10:30 break

11:00 Group leaders describe projects to participants

13:00 lunch

14:00 City Tour 

Thursday

9:00 Working in groups time

10:30 break

11h:00 Talk Research opportunities in Africa and Europe

13:00 lunch

14:30 onwards Participants work on their identified projects

19:00 dinner

Friday

9:00 presentations by participants

10:30 break

11:00 presentations by participants

13:00 lunch

14:30 Closing ceremony

  Logos of our sponsors and collaborators:

Motivation: Women in Sage is an initiative of the African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA) in collaboration with other women associations in the host countries. The African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA) is an academic association for women that was established in July 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa (http://www.africanwomeninmath.org). Its sole purpose is to promote Mathematics and the networking for mathematicians women in Africa. Women sage-Burundi, is a part of the long tradition of conferences (https://wiki.sagemath.org/Workshops). Since 2007, more than 100 Sage Days have been organized around the world. During these days, participants discover the SageMath software, develop their programming skills and contribute to the development of the software. SageMath is a free mathematics software developed by the research community, students, and research engineers. It relies heavily on voluntary contributions as well as on the one-off funding of research projects. Women in Sage days have already been organized in seven different countries (United States, South Korea, France, Canada, Greece, Senegal and Nigeria). All have been successful(example:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc2L7BZh0qegGMrF6jSpZH0X7g0HQcGQhN1PKVtCPqQNtkR5A/viewform?usp=sf_link organized by Lorenzo García, M.-F. Ouedraogo and Dr. Bernadette Fall;http://africanwomeninmath.org/activities/conference/women-in-sage-nigeria organized by E. Lorenzo García, M.-F. Ouedraogo and A. Ini in September 2022, http://africanwomeninmath.org/activities/conference/women-in-sage-uganda organized by E. Lorenzo García, M.-F. Ouedraogo and Olivia Nabawanda in Septembre 2023). 

Not only did the participants improve their programming skills, contributed to the software, but they also created research collaborations and gained confidence in their own skills. We believe that Women in Sage days organized at Applied Statistic Institute "ISTA", Burundi University with the support of the African Women in Mathematics Association (AWMA), Burundi University and OWSD-Burundi National Chapter is an opportunity for the whole academic community.

1. Objectives

• To bring together African mathematicians to work together, share their motivations, and discover women from different countries to different career levels, who can be considered as role models.
• To launch new research projects and collaborations between mathematicians from different African countries.
• Create new contacts and mentoring networks for young women embarking on mathematical research.
• To teach to African women mathematicians the new programming skills and contribute to the SageMath software and train new users and contributors.

2. Conference Planning and organization

Organizing and Scientific Committees:

• Prof.Elisa Lorenzo Garcia (Université de Rennes 1, France; and Université de Neuchâtel, Switzerland)
• Prof.Marie Françoise Ouedraogo (Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo, Burkina Faso).

• Dr.Ménédore Karimumuryango (Burundi University, Applied Statistic Institute "ISTA")

   

  Local Organizing Committee 

• Pr.Juma Shabani (Doctoral School of the University of Burundi, Burundi University)
• Dr.Menedore Karimumuryango (Burundi University, Applied Statistic Institute "ISTA ")
• Msc.Aurore Mugisha (Doctoral School of the University of Burundi, Burundi University, 
• Dr.Amin Shaka Aunali (Burundi University, Applied Statistic Institute "ISTA ")
• Msc.Irène Irakoze (Burundi University, Applied Statistic Institute "ISTA ")
• Msc.Ancille Bagorizamba (Burundi University, Applied Statistic Institute "ISTA ")
• Prof.François Ndayiragije (Burundi University, Department of Mathematics) 
• Girukwishaka Donatienne (Ministry of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender)

3.Main Lecturers (Project leaders): The main project leaders include:

• Applied Maths: Ini Adinya (Nigeria)
• Number Theory: Bernadette Faye (Senegal)
• Statistics: Valérie Garès (France)
• Cryptography: Elisa Lorenzo García (Switzerland)
• Combinatorics: Olivia Nabawanda (Uganda)
• Algebra: Sarah Nakato (Uganda)

4. Programme

This event is a collaborative conference addressed to young African researchers and graduate students. Particularly, but not exclusively, to young female researchers. There will be at least 6 research projects. All the main project leaders have confirmed their participation. The program will also include discussions on gender balance and women in mathematics.

Tentative schedule:

- 1 months before the conference: online event on introduction to Sage and opening of a workshop chat via the Zulip platform to encourage the contact between the participants and the group leaders before the in-person part of the workshop.

- During the workshop (09-13 September, 2024): working in groups from Monday to Thursday and some talks and panels on Women in Mathematics (AWMA, EAUMP, UGAWOM, OWSD and CIMPA) presenting opportunities. On Friday participants will present projects that will have been given to them during the week. More explicitly:

- Monday: registration, Sage installation on laptops of participants, Introduction to SageMaths and panel discussion.

- Tuesday: Working on groups and Projects presentation

- Wednesday: working on groups, panel discussion and excursion.

- Thursday: working on groups and dinner.

- Friday: Presentation of results, talk Research opportunities in Africa and Europe, future plans.