One of the best kept secrets about mathematicians is that we are often at the tip of the spear in the struggle for social/political causes. We are inspired by the mathematical hell raisers of previous generations, but we are also shaped by their personal tragedies.

In 1800 France, Sophie Germain had to publish her works using a male pseudonym. Only recently, Maryam Mirzakhani, an Iranian born mathematician, became the first female recipient of The Fields Medal, the highest honour in mathematics. In between lies a rich and poignant history of mathematical scientists confronting prejudices, injustices, and social stigmas, sometimes with tragic outcomes.

Mathematics comes with its own stories of defeats and victories, not always brought about by its widely publicised intellectual challenges.

SPEAKER: Nassif A Ghoussoub, Professor of Mathematics and a Distinguished University Scholar at the University of British Columbia.

Held as part of the Sydney Ideas program on 31 October 2017: http://sydney.edu.au/sydney_ideas/lectures/2017/professor_nassif_ghoussoub.shtml