On 12 May 2025, MATH+ celebrates “International Women in Mathematics Day” by introducing the new MATH+ Hanna Neumann Fellows: Monika and Alice Marveggio, who have just arrived in Berlin for their research stays and collaborations at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

The MATH+ Hanna Neumann Fellowship enables them to work with leading mathematicians in Berlin and deepen their expertise. During their time in Berlin, Monika is collaborating with Marc Kegel’s research group at Hu Berlin, while Alice is working with Barbara Zwicknagl, also at HU Berlin.

Monika’s research interests focuses on low-dimensional topology, knot theory, and contact and symplectic geometry. She is currently working on several projects related to the classification problem for Legendrian knots and 3-dimensional contact manifolds. Alice’s research lies at the intersection of partial differential equations and the calculus of variations, with a particular focus on interface evolution problems arising in continuum mechanics.

In the interview, Monika and Alice Marveggio reflect on their mathematical journeys and share their experiences as women in the field. They discuss the challenges they’ve faced, including some specific cultural situations —and emphasize the importance of resilience, mentorship, and building supportive networks.

They also offered encouraging advice to young women pursuing mathematics and share their hopes for fostering inclusive research environments and expanding international collaborations.

LINKS:

• Read the full interview and learn more about the 2025 Hanna Neumann Fellows

• The MATH+ Hanna Neumann Fellowship