Student story: Rhiannon Savage and Nikita Handel

A shared love of maths

Rhiannon Savage and Nikita Handel presenting at the Women and Non-Binary People in Mathematics conference

"Nikita grew up on Jersey, a small island between England and France. She always enjoyed maths as a child, but it wasn’t until Sixth Form that she seriously considered studying it at university. That was when she fell in love with abstract algebra, thanks to the encouragement of her maths teacher. Not much has changed since – she still loves algebra and is now planning to apply for PhDs in group theory and topology.

"Rhiannon has been President of the Mathematrix Society for postgraduate minorities in Mathematics since 2022, and Nikita is the President of the Mirzakhani Society for undergraduate women and non-binary people in Mathematics, and was formerly its secretary. They met when Rhiannon was Nikita’s tutor at Balliol, and talked a lot after class about working together to run events for women in Mathematics – which is how the idea of organising a national conference was born."

Tell us about the conference!

Nikita Handel standing in front of a poster for the 2024 Women and Non-Binary People in Mathematics Day Conference

The main event the Mirzakhani Society runs are `Sip and Solve’ sessions where female undergraduates can come together and chat while working on their problem sheets. In the Mathematrix society we run regular lunchtime meetups where postgraduates can come together to talk about issues they’re facing.

"We held the first `Oxford Women and Non-Binary People in Mathematics Day’ back in February 2024. The theme was ‘Beyond the Pipeline’ and the day focused on showcasing women in mathematics at all stages of their careers and discussing the problematic metaphor of the leaky pipeline for women leaving academia. We had over 120 attendees from around the UK and feedback from participants was really positive, with participants noting that they felt empowered after the conference and found it useful to hear about people’s journeys within Mathematics.

"On Saturday 1st March, we held the second edition of this conference. This year the theme was `Pathways to Progress’ and we focused on the diverse pathways that people take within Mathematics. Our keynote speaker talked about her experience raising children alongside having an academic job, and we also heard from a mathematical artist, an opera singer turned tech company founder, and a maths communicator. This year we had over 170 attendees, with around 90 attendees from outside Oxford – and someone even came from as far away as Strathclyde.

"The second edition of the conference took place on 1 March 2025. This year the theme was ‘Pathways to Progress’ and focused on the diverse pathways that people take within mathematics. Our keynote speaker talked about her experience raising children alongside having an academic job, and we also heard from a mathematical artist, an opera singer turned tech company founder, and a maths communicator. This year the conference had over 170 attendees, with around 90 attendees not from Oxford – and someone even coming from as far away as Strathclyde."

Attendees at the Women and Non-Binary People in Mathematics Day Conference assembled outside the Andrew Wiles Building

Rhiannon Savage speaking to attendees at the Women and Non-Binary People in Mathematics Day Conference

Empowering women at Oxford and beyond

"We’ve found running these events extremely rewarding. They require a lot of hard work, time, and energy, but we are driven by the desire to make a difference, empower other women, and foster strong communities and support networks. Over the past couple of years, we have noticed a significant shift within the Mirzakhani and Mathematrix communities: women feel more confident in asserting themselves, particularly in academic settings such as tutorials. The support networks we have built through these events help to mitigate feelings of impostor syndrome and loneliness, allowing women to advocate for themselves more effectively and engage more fully in their mathematical journey.

"It’s really special to meet someone who completely matches your energy and drive, and that’s what we’ve found working together. Rhiannon is moving to London for a postdoctoral research job next year and Nikita will be finishing off her undergraduate degree in Oxford. We’ve already been discussing plans for what we want to work on next, and are keen to move things from the local level at Oxford to a more national level."

Students interested in the work of the Mirzakhani Society can visit the society’s website and Instagram account (@mirzakhani.soc). Visit the Maths Faculty website for more information on the Mathematrix society for postgraduate minorities.

For more information on the Oxford Women and Non-Binary People in Mathematics Conference, please visit the dedicated conference website.