Sofia Kovalevskayaborn in Moscow on January 15, 1850, was a pioneer of mathematics and one of the first women to break academic barriers in an era of higher education barred to women.
Raised in a family of Russian gentry, Sofia developed an early interest in mathematics, inspired by her uncle Pyotr and a curious coincidence: the walls of her room were covered in paper with differential calculus notes.
At just 18 years old she married Vladimir Kovalevskij in a fictitious marriagea widespread practice at the time to allow women to study abroad. This allowed her to move to Heidelberg, Germany, where she studied mathematics and physics. He subsequently went to Berlin to continue his studies with Karl Weierstrasswho, impressed by her abilities, offered her private lessonswomen being excluded from official lessons.
He obtained the Bordin Prize in 1888
In 1874 Sofia obtained his doctorate at the University of Göttingen, presenting three theses, one of which contained the Cauchy-Kovalevskaja Theorem, still fundamental in the theory of differential equations today. Returning to Russia, she found an academic environment closed to women and he turned down an offer to teach elementary arithmeticdedicating himself instead to family and social life.
In 1881, the turning point came with the invitation to teach at Stockholm Universitythanks to the intercession of the mathematician Mittag-Leffler. Here Sofia became the first woman in Europe to obtain a professorship in mathematics.
Her research on the rotation of rigid bodies earned her the prestigious Bordin Prize in 1888. Despite personal difficulties, including the death of her husband and the loss of her sister, Sofia continued to excel in her academic work and contribute to the women’s emancipation movement.
Sofia died prematurely in 1891, at just 41 years oldleaving a significant legacy not only in the mathematical field but also as a symbol of great determination. In a world dominated by men, in fact, she managed to bring out her talent, paving the way for future generations of scholars.