Achieving the apex: The lived experience of tenured women faculty within elite departments of mathematics

TL;DRAbstract

In 2009, the American Mathematical Society published that women represent just 7% of the tenured faculties who serve the 48 top-ranked mathematics departments, known collectively as Group I. Much existing literature explores mathematics under the broad umbrella of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and is frequently concerned with factors leading to women's attrition from these fields. This dissertation focuses on women who have attained success within the discipline of academic mathematics and presents the results of a phenomenological study exploring the lived experiences of a small group of women who have successfully navigated the path to tenure within Group I departments. Data was collected through a series of in-depth interviews with eligible participants and the results of this study highlight factors identified as essential to achieving their current status. The transitions experienced at critical points along the educational and career "pipeline" are chron

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