Project leaders: Prof Dr Irene Pieper-Seier, Prof Dr Karin Flaake, Prof Dr Kristina Reiss

Research assistants: Kristina Hackmann, Stephanie Radtke, Sylvia Jahnke-Klein, Beate Curdes, Wiebke Lohfeld

Two studies, the results of which complement each other and contribute to a differentiated picture of the conditions that favour and hinder women in this subject area, were aimed at the structures in the discipline of mathematics, which has so far been heavily dominated by men. A survey of students showed that female students on the mathematics degree programme have far less confidence in their specialist skills and competencies than their fellow students and may be one reason for their comparatively low inclination to gain further academic qualifications through a doctorate (Prof. Dr. Irene Pieper-Seier, Prof. Dr. Kristina Reiss, research assistants: Sylvia Jahnke-Klein, Beate Curdes, Wiebke Lohfeld).

A study entitled "Female professors in mathematics", in which 87% of female mathematics professors teaching at German universities were asked about their career path and their status in the discipline, showed - complementary to the findings of the student survey - that this academic "path to success" in mathematics at all stages of their career was made possible to a large extent by support and encouragement, particularly from professors in this discipline (Prof. Dr. Dr. Kristina Reiss, Prof. Dr. Kristina Reiss, Prof. Dr. Kristina Reiss, Prof. Dr. Kristina Reiss). Dr Karin Flaake, Prof. Dr Irene Pieper-Seier, research assistants: Dr Kristina Hackmann, Stephanie Radtke).

Central publications:

Flaake, Karin/Hackmann, Kristina/Pieper-Seier, Irene/Radtke, Stephanie (2006): Professorinnen in der Mathematik - Berufliche Werdegänge und Verortungen in der Disziplin

Curdes, Beate/Jahnke-Klein, Sylvia/Lohfeld, Wiebke/Pieper-Seier, Irene (2003): Maths students. Study experiences and ideas about the future. Scientific series of the NFFG Volume 5, Norderstedt

Curdes, Beate/Jahnke-Klein, Sylvia/Lohfeld, Wiebke/Pieper-Seier,Irene (2002): On the development of subject-related strategies. Attitudes and assessments of female mathematics students in the degree programmes 'Diplom Mathematik' and 'Lehramt an Gymnasien'. Final report of the project, funded by the Lower Saxony Research Network for Women's and Gender Studies in Science, Technology and Medicine, Oldenburg