Mina Rees

Mina Spiegel Rees (August 2, 1902 – October 25, 1997) Her most notable accomplishments include becoming the first female President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and head of the mathematics department of the Office of Naval Research of the US. In 1955, Rees married physician Leopold Brahdy (1892–1977) who she had met a party in 1936.

Education Rees was accepted to a prestigious school for gifted women known as Hunter College High School in New York City. She graduated valedictorian in 1919 after taking 4 years of mathematics classes. After graduation, Rees attended Hunter College where she majored in mathematics. While a student, she became a part-time teacher at Hunter High School. who agreed to help Rees with division algebra even though he was no longer in the field. Dickson was known to advise female scientists, and he worked with 8% of all women PhDs in mathematics in the US.

Contributions during World War II When World War II began many men were drafted. This opened many opportunities for women in fields that they were not prevalent in. Rees took a leave of absence in 1943 to aid in the war efforts.

In 1962 Rees received the first Award for Distinguished Service to Mathematics from the Mathematical Association of America. This was "for outstanding service to mathematics, other than mathematical research" and for "contributions [that] influence significantly the field of mathematics or mathematical education on a national scale."

In 1965, Rees was awarded the Achievement Award by the American Association of University Women, an award given annually in honor of women who have made outstanding contributions in their fields.

Some of her other notable honors include:

Kings Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom (UK) and the President's Certificate of Merit (USA) for her important contributions during World War II. At least 18 honorary doctorates. Library of Graduate University of the City University of New York named the Mina Rees library in 1985. In 1989 the IEEE Computer Society's Computer Pioneer Award.

Notable publications 1932: "Division algebras associated with an equation whose group has four generators," American Journal of Mathematics 54: 51–65. 1950: "The federal computing machine program" Science 112: 731–736. 1952: "Digital Computers - their nature and use" American Scientist 40: 328-335 1952: (with Richard Courant and Eugene Isaacson) "On the solution of nonlinear hyperbolic differential equations by finite differences", Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics 5: 243–255. 1953: "Modern Mathematics and the Gifted Student" The Mathematics Teacher 46: 401-406. 1954: "Computers:1954" The Scientific Monthly 79: 118-124. 1955: "New Frontiers for Mathematicians" Pi Mu Epsilon Journal 2: 122-127. 1958: "Mathematics in the Market Place" The American Mathematical Monthly: 332-343. 1958: "The impact of the computer" The Mathematics Teacher 51: 162-168. 1962: "The Nature of Mathematics" Science, New Series 138: 9-12. 1975: "The Scientist in Society: Inspiration and Obligation" American Scientist 63: 144-149.