Voices of Women in Mathematical Sciences Higher Education: the PhD Student Experience

Women remain under-represented in the mathematical sciences across UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). In this study we focus on the doctoral student experience in relation to gender to identify factors impacting the retention of women in academia post-PhD. Using qualitative methods, we explore the lived experiences of female PhD students within a mathematical sciences department at a UK HEI. Through in-depth one-to-one interviews, we explore participant perceptions of how gender has impacted their PhD experiences and shaped their academic journeys, including their relationships with supervisors, exposure to role models, identity as a mathematician, and career plans beyond the PhD. We identify six recurring themes: a sense of not belonging, feeling treated differently by supervisors, a lack of exposure to female role models, experiences of microaggressions and sexism, a complex picture of professional self-identity, and the perception of gender as a barrier to an academic career. We also explore participants’ recommendations for improving research culture. This work deepens our understanding of the lived experiences of female PhD students in male-dominated fields and will further inform the development of targeted interventions to enhance the academic environment for women in the mathematical sciences.