Sonia Kovalevsky is an extraordinary mathematician whose ground-breaking work paved the road for challenging societal norms of women’s inferiority to men in the sciences. In the 19th century, a time when strict governess set the expectations for women to be primarily responsible for housework and childcare, Sonia became the first woman to obtain a doctorate in mathematics, the first woman appointed to a full professorship in Northern Europe, and one of the first women to work for a scientific journal as an editor. In addition, Sonia was also an accomplished writer and a political advocate of women’s rights.

Despite the prestigious doctoral degree and the significant contributions to the field of mathematics, Sonia was not able to immediately secure a professorship position due to her gender. It was not until 1883 that she accepted an invitation from Magnus Mittag-Leffler to become a lecturer in mathematics at the University of Stockholm. She was promoted to full professor in 1889 and with that became the first woman appointed to a full professorship in Northern Europe.

Sonia Kovalevskaya died on February 10, 1891 due to flu complications. Today, she is immortalized by her incredible contributions to the field of mathematics, her courage and determination to rise above the challenges, and for inspiring generations of women to study mathematics.

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