Summary
Rebecca Walo Omana (born 15 July 1951) is a Congolese mathematician, professor, and reverend sister. Omana became the first female mathematics professor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1982.[1] She is the director of the mathematics and informatics doctoral program at the University of Kinshasa and is a vice-president of the African Women in Mathematics Association.[2] Her mathematical interests lie in differential equations, nonlinear analysis, and modeling.
Rebecca Walo Omana | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 July 1951 |
| Nationality | Congolese |
| Alma mater | Université catholique de Louvain |
| Known for | first female mathematics professor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Professor at the University of Kinshasa |
| Doctoral advisor | Jean Mawhin |
Biography edit
Omana was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on 15 July 1951. She was passionate about mathematics during high school.[1] She made her religious profession to the Catholic Soeurs de St Francois d'Assise at the age of 18, and made her sacred vows in 1978.[3][2]
Omana earned a bachelor’s of science in mathematics from the Université du Québec à Montréal in 1979. She earned her master’s of science in 1982 from the Université Laval. In both institutions, she was the only African woman in the department.[1] Of this period Omana says:
I had to double effort to be better and remove negative prejudices in the heads of my colleagues and my professors to be accepted. But in view of results, I was not only accepted but invited by groups of colleagues for research works. [1]
In 1982, Omana began working as a lecturer and became the first female mathematics professor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1]
Omana earned her Diplôme d'études approfondies in 1985 and her Ph.D in 1990 from the Université catholique de Louvain where she worked with advisor Jean Mawhin.[1][4] She was the first Congolese woman to earn a doctorate there.[2]
At the founding of the quarterly multidisciplinary journal la revue Notre Dame de la Sagesse (RENODAS), Omana was listed as the director.[5] She has supervised numerous doctoral students.[4] She hopes that some of her doctoral students will join her among the small number of female professors in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1] Omana heads the mathematics doctoral program at the University of Kinshasa.[1] Since 2010,[2] she has served as the rector for the Université Notre-Dame de Tshumbe (UNITSHU), a Catholic public university which was founded in 2010 in Tshumbe, Democratic Republic of the Congo.[6]
Mathematical works edit
Omana has published two books.[2] Her work on ordinary differential equations has had applications in fields such as epidemiology and law.
Personal life edit
Omana's parents are not academics, but some siblings hold master's degrees.[1] Her teachers and father influenced her decision to become a mathematician.[1]
She has said "mathematics is fantastic; as its name is female, it is a domain that should belong to us women".[1][a]
See also edit
Notes edit
- ^ Referring to the French word mathématiques, which has the feminine gender
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Rebecca Walo OMANA". African Women in Mathematics Association. Retrieved 2021-01-15.
- ^ a b c d e OKONDJO, Pierre Claude. "LE PROFIL DU RECTEUR DE L'UNIVERSITÉ NOTRE-DAME DE TSHUMBE". DIOCÈSE DE TSHUMBE. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
- ^ Marie, diocese-tshumbe-ste. "SOEURS DE ST FRANCOIS D´ASSISE". Diocèse de Tshumbe Sainte Marie. Retrieved 2021-01-18.
- ^ a b "Rébecca Walo Omana - The Mathematics Genealogy Project". www.mathgenealogy.org. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ "La Revue Notre-Dame de la Sagesse". UNIVERSITÉ NOTRE-DAME DE TSHUMBE. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
- ^ "Présentation de l'Université Notre Dame de Tshumbe". UNIVERSITÉ NOTRE-DAME DE TSHUMBE. Retrieved 2021-01-18.