Society
07 красавіка 2026, 18:49
Experts highlight Sofya Kovalevskaya’s role as trailblazer for women in STEM, academia
MINSK, 7 April (BelTA) - In a new episode of the V Teme. Nashi [On Point. The Nation’s Pride] project on BelTA’s video channel we explore the question why women today can be grateful to the great mathematician and Europe’s first female professor Sofya Kovalevskaya?
Sofya Kovalevskaya’s contribution to science, particularly to mathematics, is undeniable. She also paved the way for women in this field. “She became a symbol that a woman, on an equal footing with men, can attain greatness in intellectual fields. After her death, a donation drive was launched to fund a monument. Women of very different classes, not only noblewomen, but also peasant women, female students and college students contributed every penny they could to ensure the monument was built. It was not just a stone; it was a symbol of women’s freedom, a symbol of sisterhood among women. Through the image of Sofya, these women treated their trauma of non-recognition,” cognitive behavioral therapist, psychologist Alena Petrovskaya noted.
She added that the scientist was an idol for women of that time, especially those who also wanted to be in science, to achieve something, to make discoveries, but faced certain social obstacles. Society’s demand for such a role for women and for women’s rights was growing. “It was a time of reforms, a time of hope for the future, when the whole society expected something, some changes, and Sofya’s story happened in that era. I think that her life’s path truly served as the beginning, opening the way for other women into science and for changes in certain social norms,” the psychologist emphasized.
Today, women can fulfill themselves in any field without facing prejudice or external pressure. Academic Secretary of the National academy of Science of Belarus Tatiana Busel noted that when she entered university and began studying quantitative sciences, there were more male students. “Looking back at my studies, there were more boys when I enrolled. But two years later, there were significantly more girls walking the halls,” she said. “It is just that fewer girls remain in science. After all, a woman’s calling is the family. That idea is quietly embedded somewhere in the subconscious.”
At the same time, Tatiana Busel believes that each person decides for themselves what is better: whether to pursue a career in science or create a family and find fulfillment there. “And some manage to brilliantly combine both,”she added.
How can women scientists balance multiple roles? “Integrating these roles really matters, not pitting them against one another. In the modern model of the Belarusian family, we stand for equality and for delegating certain aspects that, for Sofya, for example, were impossible to delegate in a domestic sense: a nanny, a robot vacuum cleaner and so on. Because a woman who follows her dream, be it science, art, or anything else, will bring value into the family. She does not take resources away from the family; on the contrary, she brings herself, a sense of satisfaction, a sense of competence. And probably no one will argue that a fulfilled and happy mother can give much more to her child (perhaps less time, but greater depth of emotions and feelings) than a mother who sacrificed her dream for household chores,” Alena Petrovskaya explained.
According to the psychologist, while patients frequently consult her about family relationship problems, she has observed that women are increasingly taking on roles that were traditionally dominated by men. “There are now far more working women, women who are building and running their own businesses. This means that women have the freedom to choose what they want to do. Women manage their own time because they build their own schedules. They have begun to hire specially trained people: cleaning services, nannies, cooks, because a businessperson can afford it. I see this as a very good trend: it will not take any love away from the family, but will instead give a daughter a model of how to successfully combine these roles,” Alena Petrovskaya emphasized.
She added that a son, seeing new forms of interaction in the family, will also understand in the future that there should be a division of responsibilities in the household and that he also needs to help his wife. “Most likely, this will help create more happy families,” the psychologist believes.
Tatiana Busel is convinced that support is very important for a woman. “If they put spokes in her wheels, she will have to choose, and that choice will not always be the best for her. So the environment is also important,” the scientist shared.
According to experts, Sofya Kovalevskaya would find today’s conditions for women’s fulfillment ideal. “She would probably say that she dreams of having had the same opportunities that modern women have today,” Alena Petrovskaya said.
The psychologist noted that assistance from home professionals would not take away any of her love or attention from her children and husband. “Why not devote that extra time to interactions with your children and partner? At work, you are a professional; at home, you are a mother who participates emotionally, not just physically, in the family’s life,” she stressed.
