A University of Texas at
Arlington professor has taken on the mystery of how a woman growing up in
late-18th century France came out of nowhere to make a name for
herself with the world’s most renowned mathematicians.
The Mathematical Association of
America recently re-published “Sophie’s Diary: A Mathematical Novel.” In the 279-page
novel, Dora Musielak, a UT Arlington adjunct professor of physics and aerospace
engineering, uses fiction to take up where records about mathematician Sophie
Germain leave off.
In 1816, Germain made history by
becoming the first woman to win an international contest put on by the Institut
de France for her mathematical theory of elasticity. Germain is also the first
and only woman in history to make a substantial contribution to Fermat’s Last
Theorem, a famously difficult mathematical problem that took 300 years to prove.
Musielak’s book follows Germain
from ages 13 to 17, during the years 1789 to 1793. The author blends her
imaginings about how Germain’s early education unfolded with historical facts
about the French Revolution, which was taking place around Germain's home in
Paris. Musielak weaves mathematics and truths from the history of mathematics to
make the story more convincing.
Musielak hopes her book inspires
mathematicians, especially young women, and informs the world about Germain’s
“What I wanted most of all was
to put into context the environment surrounding the young Sophie Germain who,
against all odds, became one of the greatest women mathematicians in history,”
“I wanted to present a
perspective – my perspective – on how Germain must have learned mathematics
before she began interacting with the great scholars of her time,” she added.
Biographers believe that as
young woman, Germain assumed the name of a male student at École Polytechnique in Paris to
submit her own work to celebrated mathematician and professor Joseph-Louis Lagrange.
She was the daughter of a silk
merchant and, though she would have had access to books, there is no account of
how she honed her mathematical skills. Her later work on theories about
elasticity and vibration formed a foundation for other more noted scholars to
build, said Musielak.
Writing “Sophie’s Diary” began
as a side project for Musielak, “a labor
of love” she took on in addition to her international contributions to the
world of high-speed propulsion. A NASA fellow, Musielak has worked for several
aerospace companies. Like Germain, she is a trailblazer. In 1978, she was the
first woman to graduate from the Polytechnic Institute of Mexico with a degree
in aeronautical engineering.
“Dr. Musielak is a role
model for young, female scientists and engineers,” said Pamela Jansma, dean of
the UT Arlington College of Science. “Bringing the story of Sophie Germain to a
wider audience is another way she is helping to encourage young women.”
Musielak first self-published
Sophie’s Diary. It became a success and caught the attention of David
Pengelley, a professor at New Mexico State University and Germain scholar. He
wrote a review calling the book “delightful to read” and encouraged Musielak to
seek a wider audience.
“The writing style is that of a
truly curious, sensitive and articulate young person, and the blur between fact
and fiction is excellent, seductively leaving one believing that the fictional
Sophie’s writing is the real one’s life,” Pengelley said in the journal
“Sophie’s Diary” is available at
the UT Arlington bookstore, 400 S. Pecan St. Copies can also be ordered at
Dora Musielak is one of the
talented professors at The University of Texas at Arlington, a
comprehensive research institution of nearly 33,500 students in the heart of
North Texas. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.