Women of Mathematics From Around the World
Exhibited: 10 January 2026 – 15 March 2026
Venue: Science Gallery Bengaluru, Sanjaynagar
Partners:
Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bengaluru,
International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS),
Raman Research Institute (RRI)
Women of Mathematics is a photographic exhibition featuring portraits by Noel Tovia Matoff and curated by Sylvie Paycha. The exhibition presents photographic portraits and personal narratives of women mathematicians from around the world, exploring their lives, work, and intellectual journeys. Through these stories, the exhibition highlights how lived experiences shape the practice of mathematics across diverse cultural, institutional, and social contexts.
The exhibition has been shown at over 170 locations worldwide, with Science Gallery Bengaluru among the few venues in India to host it. More information about the exhibition and its current presentation can be found at womeninmath.net
“We are delighted to work with the German Consulate General in Bengaluru to showcase women mathematicians from across the world for our young audiences. We trust this will encourage young men to recognise women mathematicians as part of the intellectual landscape and for young women to fearlessly think of mathematics as their own, just as the women portrayed in the exhibition have been able to. We join our partners the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences and the Raman Research Institute to continue the work of encouraging young adults in their pursuits.”
- Jahnavi Phalkey, Founding Director, Science Gallery Bengaluru
“For more than a decade, Sylvie Paycha and I have been portraying female mathematicians worldwide. Even after 37 such sessions, I am still inspired by the passion with which female mathematicians explain, describe, and paint their theories on the blackboard.”
- Noel Tovia Matoff, Photographer
“Worldwide, women doing research in mathematics and theoretical physics are still scarce. The first purpose of the exhibition was to make visible women of mathematics and theoretical physics from around the world and to encourage young women to embrace a career in mathematics and/or theoretical physics. Beyond this first goal, this exhibition has served as a tremendous networking tool between female scientists from around the world, who might not have met elsewise.”
- Sylvie Paycha, Curator
“Women of Mathematics‘: Prof. Sylvie Paycha and Photographer Ms. Noel Matoff have meticulously curated the portraits of brilliant female mathematicians. I believe that the exhibition will inspire many visitors. We have to acknowledge that for centuries, women have made substantial contributions to mathematics, yet their names were often kept in the margins and men frequently received the credit. ‘Women of Mathematics’ changes our point of view: it makes visible how female brilliance in mathematics is and was always present.”
- Achim Burkhart, Consul General of Germany in Bengaluru
Public Programmes
The exhibition was accompanied by a series of public programmes that expanded its themes and conversations.
The Making of an Exhibition: Women in Mathematics | 04.01.26
A panel discussion featuring photographer Noel Tovia Matoff, mathematician Sylvie Paycha, and physicist Sumati Surya, exploring the process behind creating the exhibition. The discussion unpacked the making of the portraits, the documentation of personal narratives, and the role of storytelling in shaping the curatorial approach. The panel reflected on mathematics as a human practice, shaped by lived experience, and examined the institutional, cultural, and systemic conditions influencing participation in the field.
Observing the World from a Quantum Perspective | 15.01.26
A talk by Kasia Rejzner, a mathematician featured in the exhibition, introducing foundational ideas in quantum theory; from quantum mechanics to concepts in quantum gravity. The session invited audiences to rethink space and time as quantum objects, exploring ideas such as quantum rulers, quantum clocks, and quantum reference frames—an area currently at the centre of active research.
Media Coverage
The Hindu | 15.01.26
