Pres. Rouhani:

Maryam Mirzakhani ‘milestone’ for Iranian women’s successes

TEHRAN (defapress) – President Rouhani has issued a statement praising Iranian math genius Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to win mathematics’ fields medal, who died at 40 on Saturday.

News ID: 65314

Date: 16 July 2017 - 14:38

The unparalleled brilliance of this creative scientist and yet humble person which made the name of Iran resonate in the world’s scientific community was a milestone in introducing the grand efforts and determination of Iranian women and youth for climbing the peaks of success in various international fields,” Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said in a message on Saturday.

The Iranian president further praised Mirzakhani’s scientific services and everlasting works, and extended his heartfelt condolences to her grieving family and the scientific community.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif also posted his condolences on his Instagram account, saying "the news of young Iranian genius and math professor Maryam Mirzakhani’s passing has brought a deep pang of sorrow to me and all Iranians who are proud of their eminent and distinguished scientists.”

Mirzakhani’s passing also prompted Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, Leader’s senior adviser Ali Akbar Velayati, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Ghasemi, AEOI head Ali Akbar Salehi, and VP for Science and Technology Sorena Sattari to praise the Iranian scientist for her prominent works and extend their condolences and deep grief over this great loss.

Internationally-renowned Iranian mathematician and Stanford University professor Maryam Mirzakhani, who was the first and only woman to win the prestigious Fields medal in mathematics, died at 40 after a long battle with cancer.

"Mirzakhani specialized in theoretical mathematics that read like a foreign language by those outside of mathematics: moduli spaces, Teichmüller theory, hyperbolic geometry, Ergodic theory and symplectic geometry,” the Stanford press announcement said.

"Maryam is gone far too soon, but her impact will live on for the thousands of women she inspired to pursue math and science,” said Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. "Maryam was a brilliant mathematical theorist, and also a humble person who accepted honors only with the hope that it might encourage others to follow her path. Her contributions as both a scholar and a role model are significant and enduring, and she will be dearly missed here at Stanford and around the world.”