UNESCO Honors Maryam Mirzakhani; Her Name Reminds Us of Women's Abilities

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) commemorated the name and memory of Maryam Mirzakhani, the prominent Iranian mathematician, on her birthday in a tweet. UNESCO emphasized in this tweet: 'The legacy that Maryam Mirzakhani left behind will forever remind us of what women can achieve when they break barriers.' This late Iranian mathematician was the first woman to win the prestigious 'Fields Medal.' Ms. Mirzakhani received the Fields Medal in 2014 for the uniqueness and complexity of her research in 'dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces.' This award is given every four years to mathematicians under 40. Upon receiving the award, Ms. Mirzakhani stated: 'This is a great honor. I would be very happy if this award encourages young women scientists and mathematicians. I am sure that in the coming years, many women will receive awards like this.' Maryam Mirzakhani was born on May 12, 1977. The International Mathematical Union has designated this day as 'International Women in Mathematics Day' in her memory and honor. This Iranian mathematician and former Stanford University professor passed away at the age of 40 in July 2017 due to cancer in the United States. Maryam Mirzakhani became a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.