Person: Masanja, Verdiana
Verdiana Masanja is the first Tanzanian woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics. She became a professor at the University of Dar es Salaam. She works to increase women's participation in science, mathematics and technology education in Africa.
Mathematical Profile (Excerpt):
- Verdiana was born in Bukoba, a town in north west Tanzania on Lake Victoria, close to the border with Uganda.
- Independence had a major impact on Verdiana, who had just begun her schooling.
- Masanja attended the Nyakabungo Primary School in Mwanza town.
- A talented girl, Masanja could act, sing, and dance as well as entertaining others with her ability to mimic voices.
- For her final two years of schooling, Masanja attended Jangwani High School in Dar es Salaam where she prepared for university entry.
- Masanja was awarded her doctorate in 1986 for her thesis A Numerical Study of a Reiner-Rivlin Fluid in an Axi-Symmetrical Circular Pipe.
- After completing her doctorate, Masanja returned to Tanzania and took up her position at the University of Dar es Salaam where she was promoted to professor.
- Masanja has written papers relating to the fluids work that she undertook for her doctoral thesis, and she has also written papers on gender issues and mathematical education.
- Although Masanja remained on the academic staff of the University of Dar es Salaam until December 2010, she has also taught in Rwanda since 2006.
Born 12 October 1954, Bukoba, Tanganyika (now Tanzania).
View full biography at MacTutor
Tags relevant for this person:
African, Origin Tanzania, Women
Thank you to the contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0! 
- Github:
-
- non-Github:
- @J-J-O'Connor
- @E-F-Robertson
References
Adapted from other CC BY-SA 4.0 Sources:
- O’Connor, John J; Robertson, Edmund F: MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive
