director, said in a statement.
The Math Prize was created to “debunk gender stereotypes, and to support young women who see higher-level mathematics as a pursuit that is challenging, fun, and incredibly rewarding,” he said. Behind a registration counter, young women bustled in blue T-shirts emblazoned with the symbol for pi. All were alumni from previous events, according to Maria DeVuono- Homberg, the associate director of the Advantage Testing Foundation. Girls participating in the contest are encouraged to stay in STEM fields and interact with strong role models in those areas, said DeVuono-Homberg.
Toronto native Melody Guan, 20, is a junior at Harvard studying chemistry, physics, and statistics. She competed in the Math Prize in her junior and senior years of high school, and has volunteered with the organization for the past few years. “I feel like it can be difficult for girls in math, because there are so few,” Guan said. “When you’re the only girl in a math class, it can be disconcerting,” she said. The event also facilitates networking with others in the field and building a strong community of math-oriented girls, according to Vickie Wang, 17, a freshman at MIT and former Math Prize participant. Participants qualified for the Math Prize by earning a top score on the American Mathematics Competition exam in February.
WENDY MAEDA/GLOBE STAFF Suzy Lou of San Jose, Calif. concentrated during the competition.
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