Women mathematicians in France in the mid-twentieth century

Abstract

A short outline of the French system of ‘Écoles normales supérieures’ and ‘agrégations’ serves as the introduction to our account of the careers of the five women who completed a doctorate in mathematics in France before 1960 and became internationally known scientists: Marie-Louise Dubreil-Jacotin (1905–72), Marie-Hélène Schwartz (1913–2013), Jacqueline Ferrand (1918–2014), Paulette Libermann (1919–2007) and Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat (b. 1923). This is followed by a more general description of the place of women on the mathematical scene in France between 1930 and 1960, together with a brief sketch of the accomplishments of some other women and the identification of all those who were active in research before 1960 and became professors in the French university system.