Daniela Ferrero honored as an Association for Women in Mathematics class of 2022 fellow

Featured Faculty

Timia Cobb | December 15, 2021

ferrero headshot

Daniela Ferrero, Texas State University mathematics professor, has been named a 2022 fellow by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). The organization inspires women to study and pursue careers in mathematical science while promoting equality of women in the field.

Throughout her career, Ferrero has supported the equality of women within the world of mathematics, believing every person deserves to equally discuss their passions and love for mathematical science. She will continue that with a group of women who share her passion. “We’re promoting equal opportunity and equal treatment in mathematical sciences,” Ferrero said.

Ferrero received the AWM award, “for sustained and impactful mentoring of young women and underrepresented minorities in mathematics; for leadership in creating research opportunities for women in graph theory through the Women in Graph Theory and Applications Research Network; and for promoting the inclusion and visibility of women through organizing conferences and other professional service.”

 “I love mentoring. It is something that comes naturally to me.  I always try to advance research and outreach concurrently, which has helped me to be efficient, and basically to have an impact in mathematics, my research, and in the mathematical community,” Ferrero said.

When she started on the tenured track in the Department of Mathematics, Ferrero helped organize conferences. Her goal was to assure two women were able to be speakers.

“I don’t care how much effort we have to make to find them, we’re going to find them,  and we made it (happen). In some years, we even had more than two. At the beginning that was small, but I thought it was important,” Ferrero said.

Ferrero said having another woman at a conference, or present at all, creates awareness and comfortability. “As a student, many times I was going to conferences and never saw a woman speaking,” she said. “I remember the first time I listened to a woman speaker in a conference, and I was in my third year of my doctorate.”

Ferrero would receive a grant from the Mathematical Association of America to host a combined mentorship for female students interested in mathematics. The grant allowed Ferrero to invite women from all over the nation to come to Texas State and share their experiences with the students.

Ferrero has also created a network for women in graph theory and created the first AWM chapter at Texas State.

Growing up in Uruguay, Ferrero didn’t have the option to receive a Ph.D. in mathematics and had to travel to Spain to study. She lived in many places, including Taiwan and France before coming to the U.S. and teaching at Texas State. Ferrero said she is honored to be acknowledged as an Association for Women in Mathematics 2022 fellow.

“It's a recognition of the effort I've made, a recognition of my contribution and I feel proud of that. It makes me very happy,” she said.

 

For more information, contact University Communications:

Jayme Blaschke, 512-245-2555

Sandy Pantlik, 512-245-2922