"I find that I am bored with anything I understand," says Abel Prize winner Dr. Karen Uhlenbeck.

American mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck has become the first woman to win the Abel Prize — the "Nobel Prize" of mathematics! The 76-year-old professor emeritus of the University of Texas at Austin and visiting scholar at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton has made wide-ranging advances in mathematics that influence many sciences, including quantum physics and string theory, and pioneered a new field of mathematics called geometric analysis. "She did things nobody thought about doing, and after she did, she laid the foundations of a branch of mathematics," says Sun-Yung Alice Chang, a Princeton mathematician who sat on the prize committee. Hans Munthe-Kaas, chair of the Abel Committee, added that "her perspective has pervaded the field and led to some of the most dramatic advances in mathematics over the last 40 years." Continue reading → Continue reading

The Girl Scouts Beyond Bars program has served thousands of girls with incarcerated moms over the past 27 years.

For over one hundred years, the Girl Scouts have provided a place to belong for millions of girls across the country — so this year, in honor of Girl Scout Day, we're celebrating Beyond Bars, a unique Girl Scout program that unites girls with their incarcerated mothers! Founded 27 years ago, the Beyond Bars program, which operates in 15 states and 17 Girl Scout councils, aims to strengthen the mother-daughter bond, minimize the trauma that can result from having a parent in prison, and reduce the likelihood of intergenerational incarceration.  As Lolis Garcia-Baab of the Girl Scouts of Central Texas explains, “We learn so much from our parents, and they really are our closest role models.  When you remove that support, the child is really anchorless... To a little girl, it's huge." This much-needed program depends on support from private donations, so we've also provided details about how you can donate to a Beyond Bars troop near you below. Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's top picks of the best new books for children and teens about incredible women from around the world.

Gerda Lerner, the historian and scholar who pioneered the field of women's history, once said, "In my courses, the teachers told me about a world in which ostensibly one-half the human race is doing everything significant and the other half doesn’t exist." But increasingly, we are reclaiming history, telling the stories of the girls and women whose contributions to our shared story deserve to be celebrated! As parents and educators, it's also important that we tell these stories to all of our children, boys and girls alike, so that they live in a world where history has always been about the contributions of all of humanity. Continue reading → Continue reading

The top ten journals for Mighty Girls of all ages!

There is something about an empty journal that invites you to dive in: all of those blank pages just waiting to be filled! Whether you're keeping a record of special events in your life, investigating your emotional world, experimenting with writing, or even sharing your innermost thoughts with someone special in your life, journals provide a safe space to experiment, explore, and create. It's no wonder that journaling is such a popular activity — for both kids and adults! Continue reading → Continue reading

A Mighty Girl's round-up of the best last-minute deals on girl-empowering toys!

In our final toy round-up of the season, we're helping out the last-minute shoppers: all of the girl-empowering toys featured in this blog post are currently on sale and still available in time for Christmas. From science sets to pretend play sets featuring popular characters like Princess Leia and Wonder Women, we've included a range of options to appeal to Mighty Girls' diverse interests. And, best of all, with free two-day shipping for Prime members, you still have time to have it under the tree on Christmas morning! Continue reading → Continue reading

Nadia Murad has become a global champion for girls and women.

Nadia Murad, the courageous Yazidi woman who escaped sexual enslavement by ISIS and went on to become a global champion for girls and women affected by violence, has just been awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize! Murad was only 21 when her village was attacked by ISIS fighters in 2014 and she was forced into slavery. She spent months suffering rape, abuse, and violence before successfully escaping. Since that time, she has devoted herself to speaking on behalf of the Yazidi women still in captivity, as well as other girls and women who are victims of violence worldwide. "All those who commit the crimes of human trafficking and genocide must be brought to justice so that women and children can live in peace," asserts the 25-year-old activist. "These crimes against women and their freedom must be brought to an end today." Continue reading → Continue reading

Dr. Donna Strickland is only the third woman in history to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.

Physicist Donna Strickland has just awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics for her groundbreaking work studying light and lasers — becoming the third woman in 117 years to win the prestigious award. The 59-year-old associate professor in the Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Waterloo was a graduate student working on her doctoral dissertation when she and her supervisor invented chirped pulse amplification, a method that creates ultrashort, high-intensity bursts of laser light without destroying amplifiers. The technique is most famous for its use in the development of Lasik eye surgery, but it also allows manufacturers to drill tiny, precise holes and makes it possible to miniaturize laser systems. Strickland, who describes herself as a "laser jock," says that becoming the third woman ever to win a Nobel Prize in Physics is "surreal," adding, "It’s hard for me to take it in right now. But I’m trying to enjoy it." Continue reading → Continue reading

Dr. Frances Arnold, who pioneered the field of "directed evolution," became the fifth woman in history to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Dr. Frances Arnold has just been awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering the field of "directed evolution"  —  becoming the first American woman in history and the fifth woman overall to be honored.  The method she developed of engineering enzymes that mimic the process of natural selection has created a revolutionary new way for scientists and engineers to design more environmentally-friendly industrial processes. It's now being used in laboratories around the world to develop enzymes that can replace toxic compounds in everything from medicines to biofuels to laundry detergents. “My entire career I have been concerned about the damage we are doing to the planet and each other,” she says. “Change is easier when there are good, economically viable alternatives to harmful habits.” Continue reading → Continue reading

Non-profit organizations founded by girls and women that are changing the world!

After the rush of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, it's time to take a moment and give back! For the sixth year, people are celebrating Giving Tuesday, a day dedicated to donating money, time, and talent to charitable organizations around the world. By bringing together supporters from countries across the globe with organizations making a difference, Giving Tuesday provides a chance to amplify the small donations that each of us can make into big change!

To celebrate this day of giving at A Mighty Girl, we're highlighting ten incredible grassroots organizations founded by girls and women that we hope you'll consider supporting on this day and throughout the year. From helping orphans in Nepal to providing solar power for obstetricians in developing countries to growing healthy vegetables for people in need in the United States, these groups are making a real difference both locally and globally. Your donations can help magnify the efforts of these inspiring girls and women and ensure that their life-changing work reaches even further! Continue reading → Continue reading

Today's deals feature Hape wooden toys and craft kits for kids!

With a week full of great deals — perfectly timed for holiday shopping — we know that our community has their eyes open for exciting options for the kids on their gift lists. For Wednesday only, Amazon is offering a special promotion on toys from Hape, a company that makes high-quality, gender-neutral, ecologically-conscious toys, and we wanted to make sure our community didn't miss out!

Their solid wood construction ensures that they're durable enough to take everything that your Mighty Girls have to dish out! Parents will also appreciate eco-friendly details like the sustainably sourced wood, BPA-free plastic, and non-toxic dyes used in Hape's construction. In addition to a selection of Hape toys, we've also featured a variety of craft kits that are available as part of this one-day deal. Whether you're looking for a ride-on for a toddler, pretend play toys for a child, or a creativity-inspiring craft for a tween or teen, there's something here for every Mighty Girl! Continue reading → Continue reading