About Louise Schmir Hay
Louise Hay was a celebrated mathematician best known for her work in mathematical logic, recursive enumerable sets, and computational complexity theory. Hay placed third in the 1952 STS before earning her B.A. in mathematics from Swarthmore College and her Ph.D. from Cornell. In 1980, Hay was named head of the mathematics department at the University of Illinois, making her the only woman of her time to head a math department at a major research university. Hay passed away from breast cancer in 1989.
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Hay with her project at the 1952 STS. Hay’s participation in STS helped her obtain a scholarship to study mathematics and earned her a job at the National Bureau of Standards.
Hay was a pioneer and founding member of the Association for Women in Mathematics. In her honor, the organization created the Louise Hay Award to recognize achievements in mathematics education.
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