Abstract
Reflecting on the differential participation of women in diverse areas of mathematics and statistics, including mathematics education, we propose that one key difference is how the subfields respond to students’ motivation to make a difference to people in the world. Although significant data suggests that women are major participants in some areas of the mathematical sciences, concerns continue to be expressed that that women are not generally participating in the mathematical sciences, sometimes drawing on myths or local cultural artifacts in the data. There is room for change – and there are reasons to celebrate
