Professor of Mathematics Christopher Towse revels in the fact that the graduating class of 2006 has the largest group of math majors—seven—in Scripps’ history. With a class size of more than 200 women, seven does not seem like a large number; however, statistics beg to differ. Since 2001, the average number of students in the top 10 majors has been between 7 and 22.
In comparison, Claremont McKenna College will graduate one woman math major this spring, and Pomona will graduate no women math majors, according to Professor Towse. Further, says Towse, “We have as many female math majors this year as Caltech has male math majors.” Caltech is graduating only one woman math major. Harvey Mudd College, which recently won a national award for an exemplary mathematics department, is another story: they will graduate 40-41 math majors, including 14 women, reports Towse.
Scripps is in step with the national trend of increasing numbers of women pursuing mathematic careers. In August 2004, the American Mathematical Society reported, “There are encouraging signs that the obstacles women encountered in the past in establishing careers in mathematics are lessening.”
Professor Towse is touting another achievement this year. A record number of Scripps students competed in the 65th Annual Putnam Mathematics Competition, the premier mathematical competition for undergraduates on Saturday, December 3.
The 10 Scripps competitors included four seniors, three juniors, and two first-year students. A long-distance team member, junior Kat Shultis, participated while studying abroad in a mathematic program in Budapest. By comparison, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, and Pitzer College had 11, 7, and 3 participants, respectively. Harvey Mudd, which typically has a large number of contenders, continued the trend with approximately 60 students.