Abstract / Synopsis
The Operator Algebras Mentor Network (OAMN) is an international mentoring initiative that offers support in small groups to women and minority genders in the particularly male-dominated field of operator algebras (OA) in mathematics. Expected advantages of membership include raising awareness of the lack of gender diversity in this field, providing advice to mentees by mentors (e.g., pertaining to career or work/life balance), broadening one’s network in OA, etc. In this project, we set out to determine if membership within the OAMN is beneficial to its members. To this end we sent a questionnaire to OAMN members and a control group of non-members at similar institutions and similar positions to collect their experience with the mentoring initiative and perception of gender dynamics within the OA discipline, together with basic demographics. The initial analysis of the data we collected shows that mentoring directed towards junior women and other minority genders in the area has a positive effect on mentees’ networking ability, self-promotion, and raising awareness of gender issues within OA as a whole.
DOI
10.5642/jhummath.TZHP4627
Recommended Citation
Anna Duwenig, Kari Eifler, Priyanga Ganesan, Lara Ismert, Viviana Meschitti, Sarah Plosker & Karen Strung, "The Operator Algebras Mentor Network: Impact of Community-Based Mentoring," Journal of Humanistic Mathematics, Volume 15 Issue 1 (January 2025), pages 334-354. DOI: 10.5642/jhummath.TZHP4627. Available at: https://scholarship.claremont.edu/jhm/vol15/iss1/20