Workshop motivation

The Second African Women in Algebra Workshop is the second workshop in a series of initiatives designed by African Women in Algebra to address the gender gap in STEM fields, particularly within the realm of algebra.  The motivation behind these workshops stems from a pressing issue facing African women in academia-the challenge of ascending the academic ladder due to the requirement of a prescribed number of research publications.

For many career women in Africa, the delicate balance between family and work responsibilities often leaves them with limited time and mobility, hindering their ability to meet academic publication requirements. This not only affects their individual career trajectories but also contributes to the widening gender gap in STEM fields.

The African Women in Algebra Workshops aim to provide a supportive and collaborative research environment tailored to the unique challenges faced by African women. These workshops are strategically designed to empower women in algebraic careers, fostering their interest and advancement in algebra

The first AWA workshop titled  ''Inaugural African Women in Algebra Workshop'' took place at Kabale University, Uganda. The event gathered female algebraists from 13 African countries, including Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, DRC, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, South Africa, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda.   The opening ceremony on July 1st, 2024, was attended by various participants, including members of the Kabale University community, male algebraists from Rwanda and Uganda, and female mathematics students and teachers from secondary schools in the Kigezi Region of Uganda.

Participants delivered numerous insightful research talks. Moreover, five research groups worked on predefined problems, making significant progress. These included Algebraic Geometry, Algebraic Topology, Algebraic Combinatorics, Factorization Theory, and Non-commutative algebra. Three of these five research groups plan to submit their results to reputable journals by February 2025, while the remaining two aim to submit by May 2025.

[Photo Gallery] https://sites.google.com/view/inaugural-awa-workshop/research-talks.  

https://sites.google.com/view/inaugural-awa-workshop/collaborative-research-sessions.