Emmy Noether Emerging Talent Fund Program

Emmy Noether, a giant of 20th century mathematics and science, solved a problem that even Einstein couldn’t fix in his theory of relativity.

Although she faced numerous obstacles because of the gender discrimination of her era, Noether developed theorems that still underpin much of physics today. She also invented an entire field of mathematics, abstract algebra.

In the spirit of this woman who achieved so much despite so many obstacles, our Emmy Noether initiatives aim to inspire and provide practical help to women currently pursuing careers in physics.

There has been much progress in gender equality since Noether’s time, but women are still underrepresented in physics. Female students made up only 28.64 percent of students in physics and astronomy programs in 2021, according to the University of Waterloo’s Women in Physics and Astronomy (WiPA) group.

The Emmy Noether Emerging Talent Fund is an endowment that supports women during a critical stage of their careers in physics: pursuit of their PhDs.

Launched in 2019 and spearheaded by Emmy Noether Council member Anne-Marie Canning and then council co-chair Sherry Shannon-Vanstone, the Emmy Noether Emerging Talent Fund has secured $1 million to support women in their PhD studies at Perimeter Institute. As one of the world’s top research centres, PhD training here opens life-changing career opportunities for these exceptional young talents.

These brilliant young women hope to make discoveries that will revolutionize our understanding of nature and perhaps unlock world-changing technologies.

Our goal is to secure $2.5 million for 10 perpetual awards to emerging scientists, each chosen for her exceptional scientific potential.

With champions like you, we can ensure that brilliance from scientists of all genders shines its light on our universe.

“The next decade will undoubtedly bring many scientific and technological discoveries that will shape our future. Perimeter Institute is a world-leading Canadian gem incubating discoveries through post-graduate studies and physics research in a home-like environment. Many amazing female scientists were not acknowledged for their discoveries in the past decades/centuries. I am honoured to be part of the Emmy Noether Council, supporting exceptional female PhD students/researchers at Perimeter for their advancement. Looking forward to a more diverse physics research community which drives key findings of our time.“

Yasemin Sezer, Executive Director, CAPCO
and Chair, Emmy Noether Council