Dr Snezana Lawrence on Good Morning Scotland

This morning, Dr Snezana Lawrence, Head of Diversity at the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications at Middlesex University, London was featured on Good Morning Scotland. She was invited to feature on the programme to talk about the 150th anniversary of Mary Somerville, the first ever scientist.

Despite the fact that Somerville was the first person to be described as a ‘scientist’, the first signature on John Stuart Mill’s big female suffrage petition and being described as the actual ‘queen of science’ when she died, she remains relatively unknown.

Dr Snezana Lawrence tells us more about who Mary Somerville was and why she ought to be remembered. She also makes the point that Somerville represents a need for greater diversity within the mathematical sciences. Only 6% of mathematics professors in British universities are women. In the 150th year of Mary Somerville’s death, the Protect Pure Maths campaign remain committed to increasing the diversity seen within the mathematical sciences.