Maryam Mirzakhani was born in Tehran, Iran. In 2014, she became the first woman to receive the Fields Medal for her work on the geometry and dynamics of Riemann surfaces.
As a child, Maryam wanted to become a writer and loved reading novels. Her interest in mathematics began when her older brother told her about how Gauss added the first 100 numbers.
She studied at Farzanegan School, where she met future mathematician Roya Beheshti. In 1994, they became the first Iranian women to compete in the International Mathematical Olympiad. Mirzakhani won a gold medal, scoring 41 out of 42. She won another gold medal the following year with a perfect score.
She studied mathematics at Sharif University of Technology and later earned her PhD from Harvard University in 2004. She taught at Princeton University and Stanford University.
In 2013, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She died on July 14, 2017, at the age of 40.
Mirzakhani is remembered for her major contributions to mathematics and for inspiring many women to study mathematics. Her birthday, May 12, is celebrated as International Women in Mathematics Day.
URGENT: A Mother Faces Execution Following the January Uprising
Leila Abolhassani, a 43-year-old mother of two, has been sentenced to death by the regime in Iran.
Her "crime"? Recording a store fire on her phone during the January nationwide uprising in Shahinshahr, Isfahan province.
The regime convicted her on the sham charge of "waging war against God" (Moharebeh). After seven months in Isfahan’s Dowlatabad Prison, her life hangs on an upcoming Supreme Court appeal decision.
Filming is not a crime. Be her voice before it’s too late.