Rébecca Walo Omana

Rebecca Walo Omana (born 15 July 1951) is a Congolese mathematician, professor, and reverend sister. Omana became the first female mathematics professor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1982. She is the director of the mathematics and informatics doctoral program at the University of Kinshasa and is a vice-president of the African Women in Mathematics Association. Her mathematical interests lie in differential equations, nonlinear analysis, and modeling.

Biography Omana was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 15 July 1951. She was passionate about mathematics during high school. She was the first Congolese woman to earn a doctorate there. She has supervised numerous doctoral students.

Mathematical works

Omana has published two mathematics books Her work on ordinary differential equations and fuzzy logic has had applications in fields such as epidemiology and law. Her mathematics articles are mostly centered on mathematical modelling and functional analysis.

Personal life

Omana's parents are not academics, but some siblings hold master's degrees.

Research

Omana's research focuses on nonlinear analysis, ordinary and partial differential equations, fuzzy differential equations, mathematical modelling, epidemiology and financial mathematics. Her work has explored the existence of solutions to nonlinear differential equations, optimal control models and applications of mathematics to public health and finance.

Selected publications

Omana, Rebecca; Ramadhani, Issa (2010). "A critical point theorem for noncontinuous functionals". International Journal of Functional Analysis, Operator Theory and Applications. Omana, Rebecca (2008). "Periodic solution of nonlinear fuzzy differential equations". Advances in Fuzzy Sets and Systems. Mawhin, Jean; Omana, Rebecca (1992). "A priori bounds and existence of positive solutions for some singular superlinear boundary value problems". Funkcialaj Ekvacioj.

Mentorship

Throughout her academic career, Omana has supervised doctoral students in mathematics and has encouraged the participation of women in advanced mathematical research in the Democratic Republic of the Congo through postgraduate training and academic mentoring.

Honours

In 2024, the University of Kinshasa recognised Omana as Professor Emerita, acknowledging her long-standing contributions to mathematics teaching, research and higher education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.