Mathematics is beautiful, original. It is something that keeps you thinking and thinking
Education
- 1996: PhD in Mathematics (Combinatorics). Dipartimento di Sistemi e informatica, University of Florence, Italy
- 1989: MSc. In Mathematics. Addis Ababa University
- 1982: B.Sc. in Mathematics. Addis Ababa University
- 2015: Higher Diploma in Learning Teaching in Higher Education, Addis Ababa University.
Professional experience
- Teaching Mathematics at the position of Assistant Professor since 1997
- Associate dean for Continuing and Distance Education at the Faculty of Science, 2007- 2011
- African Virtual University (AVU) Director, 2004–2006
- President of the Ethiopian Mathematical Association
- Worked in Faculty Academic Commission, Graduate Academic Council, Student Affairs Committee, Staff affairs committee, etc.
- I had been teaching in high schools and then in an agricultural college from 1983-1986.
Questionnaire
Your story with mathematics
Can you tell us something about your story?
Let me say few words about my school days. I was one of the best and the youngest almost in every class at the elementary school. I was very good in every subject except in home economics, handcraft, physical education and art. In fact, I was allowed to complete four years of education in two years. I loved all the subjects, as I said it earlier, and had no special interest to any of the subjects. Then there came a revolution – a transition from the feudal monarchy of Haile Selassie to the Stalinist dictatorship of Mengistu Haile-Mariam, in 1974 for the next 17 years. I was a very enthusiastic and brilliant 13 year’s old 9th grader, when the revolution took place. The unique source of happiness and enthusiasm I had then was just going to school every day and enjoying my classes. I still see and feel that the love and enthusiasm I had for my school was almost rapidly growing the way: y =m t + b for some large m would, for a while, till the revolution. Then, schools started to be very unreliable and dangerous places to frequent. The nightmarish revolution had lived long enough to deprive me of that simple but intense beautiful feeling I had for school, my teachers and classes. Everything was eventually crashed! Ya, I am living so complaining about how my love for school was cashed; many brilliant young boys and girls lost their lives too. Then everybody was looking for a shortcut to something- work or going abroad etc. I was tempted to join a kindergarten teacher’s training college, but thanks to my uncle and father, I was not allowed to give up on further education that easily. Then there came a special opportunity for good students throughout the country to join a one year preparatory program, which enables them to join the university afterwards. In fact the scope of that school was to produce best teachers for the country. That was the best available option, specially for those who lived in Addis. One had to pass the entrance exam though- mathematics, English and Amharic. I was the only one out of 40 who passed from my school and joined the Beedemariam Preparatory school. It sounded to me like a new way of life, in a different home (campus) rather than a continuation of my enthusiastic school life which was harshly interrupted. I don’t remember dreaming or anything like that for a long time since. Well I liked it, living in campus was good- safer (many youngsters were being killed) and the independence – I was free of anybody’s control (I was seventeen then). Ya, I finished that program and it was time to pick a field. I had a very good result; we all had from that school, but there was a commitment we signed to serve as a teacher after graduation for some years. Many were very conscious of their choices; they didn’t want to be a teacher, though at the time they had no option but join this school. Teachers were among those who earned low (still getting worse). That was why almost no one wanted to be a teacher. So, they just started to find ways of liberating themselves from the consequences of the commitment signed via various ways and declared their freedom to join non education fields like Engineering, Pharmacy, medicine, etc. I was wondering why they all hated teaching, but due to peer influence I filled out the form saying that Engineering was my first and Mathematics, my second choice. I never hated teaching; I still consider it the best profession ever. Knowing that I was going to be a teacher, there came the question “which subject”? For me, this one had a unique solution too! “Mathematics”! It was a subject in which I scored an “A” with a little preparation for the exam, and I have liked it too. I joined the field of mathematics and graduated after 4 years. The enthusiasm I lost in those days hadn’t returned even then. I was convinced that I had to study and finish University; I had never entertained other options at all. Never dreamed of money or anything like that, but education. I met the father of my kids when I was a final year student. Continued engaging myself in new experiences, assigned to teach math in a high school in some province (North), had my first son Ahadu, then transferred to another province (South) and got a girl (Semhal) and four years went by. I continued my studies to get an MSc in Math. That was a hell of an experience- I had to take care of two little ones (one was 2 and the other one four), with a very scarce financial resource; their father left the country for further education, when I joined the university to do my MSc. I don’t think I would be able to express well my situation in words. So, I just leave it here. After graduation, I was asked by the ministry of education to go back to the place I was teaching at to serve another four years for the training I was given. I just refused. I continued teaching in private schools till the time came when the father of my children persuaded us to join him there in Italy. There I joined the University of Florence, Dipartimento di sistemi informatica or my PhD studies. I don’t want to continue lamenting on how difficult my situation was, while studying and taking care of a family, again, with a scarce financial resource and a third child. Since I started working on my PhD, I began to gain more and more interest in the field. We returned home and I joined the Addis Ababa University, department of mathematics. Since my return, couldn’t get enough time to focus on the things which interested me and continue to do research in the area I started while I was there, because I had to I keep on swimming in the sea of numerous courses to numerous students, trapping myself in earning enough to raise my kids. This went on for many; I had to teach almost every day and everywhere to be able to earn until all my kids joined the university. Two years ago, my little one has joined the university and I am a free person for the first time, thinking to have more and more time in the” monastery” of mathematics, just to satisfy my curiosity and ever growing love for the field of combinatorics and graph theory.
What fascinates you about Mathematics?
The fact that I see it as a collection of beautiful poems of logical ideas.. it gives you great satisfactions when you see even the little things clearly...
Has anyone influenced your decision to become a mathematician and how?
Of course with the encouragement of my father, my uncle and my teachers, I had always felt that I was meant to be a scholar; mathematics was my choice, no model for that!
Has anyone supported you in your choice and during your career?
Nobody participated in my choice of the field. It was my own conviction. It didn’t even take me some time to think. The father of my kids, my ex husband, wanted me to continue my education and even took us to Italy, probably couldn’t think of how much support it takes to really help someone achieve a goal like this; he was not supportive in practice! It was tough.
Would you see it was easy for you to enter your field, and ultimately excel? What challenges did you encounter on the way?
It was easy for me to pick the field; nothing was like it. Still, I couldn’t excel, because of my personal life- Mentioned earlier, and the challenges as a mom with no assistance from others.
What is the funniest or most memorable thing that has happened to you while working in mathematics?
I believe the memorable experiences are yet to come. I am not sure if it is considered funniest for you, but sometimes, when I concentrate to work on some problem, I see the mathematical objects as characters of a drama, and end up writing stories on them instead of focusing on the problem itself. While writing, I just keep on smiling and entertaining myself.
Career and Family
Do you come from an academic family?
No, my father was a taxi driver who had read books of all kind 80% of each night. He really was brilliant. He was 100% convinced that I was meant to be a scholar; didn’t matter what kind.
Tell us about balancing family life with work life?
I think and believe that kids are much more important than anything else. I have tried to incline more to their side than anything else; I don’t regret that! You can see I couldn’t get the right balance.
Women and Mathematics
What were the biggest obstacles you had to overcome? Did you ever have the impression that it would be easier/harder if you were male? What kind of prejudices, if any, did you have to face?
Let me tell you one thing clearly. I have never entertained the fact that I am a female as a reason to any capability or incapability. I was brought up to think I am a human being and could do anything if I tried enough. After having kids, I felt that they were my responsibility, and tried to solve problems the best way I could. I am fully aware of the prejudices; still I have no ears or eyes to entertain them. If something didn’t work, I believe that I failed to plan it effectively. If I am strong enough then I can completely ignore or neutralize such prejudices.
Did you encounter any specific difficulties relating to the field of mathematics?
Mathematics is beautiful, original. It is something that keeps you thinking and thinking. The difficulties I met is that I have finished my beautiful years struggling to do routine things, even if I loved to get some free time to focus on this love. Now that I tried to make space for that, I have to learn lots of other things before I can do something new myself, not to mention that the mind gets slower and there are millions of young mathematicians out there with their fast processors dealing with it. No matter how hard you think about something, there will almost always be someone who has done or treated that subject. Mathematics is not some local plant that you plant, water and measure, to write a report and tell that. It is frustrating, but still I consider it the best lover I have got to live and spend my years with. Yes resources are scarce, but getting better with technology and networks today!
Do you consider it necessary to organize special programs like Girl’s Day promoting mathematics for girls in schools? What else, do you think, could further be done to support woman with mathematics as their career?
Yes, I am a member of AWMA (African Women in Mathematics Association), vice-president for the region of East Africa. I am also a member of AMUCAWM. Networking is very important where there are various problems, for example like scarcity of resources. Encouraging one another and working together can make us more productive and most of all, we can use our network to solve our common problems like prejudice and discrimination. Empower ourselves to do more and most of all encourage young girls to join the field of mathematics and be more productive.
Teaching mathematics, especially to non-mathematicians, can be a challenge. What is your strategy to catch and keep the attention of your audience?
I make the class interactive; try to find examples and analogies in their fields, if possible, or other simple things in the surrounding or in human relationships.
Conclusion
What are your biggest achievements, and what your biggest failures?
I taught more than 3000 students in those years since I started teaching in the university. I have contributed in this regard, though I don’t consider it a biggest achievement. I always regret the fact that I am way backward with the research component of my profession, which is supposed to weigh 25% of my whole professional activities. I haven’t lost hope yet, will work hard in this area.
Do you have a dream? Any particular problem you dream to solve now?
Yes, my dream is to come up with a problem I can partially or completely solve in the area I am working at.
Which advice would you give to young girls who want to engage a career in mathematics?
Plug your ears from listening to or entertain anything that has to do with prejudice about women and mathematics. A good time management can take you a long distance. Do something to lay a base for your profession before you start a family, both for the good of your family and your profession.