Several mathematics awards honor her memory by recognizing women mathematicians. In late 2019, the Breakthrough Prize Foundation announced the creation of the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize, awarded to outstanding women in mathematics. In France, the Maryam Mirzakhani Junior Prize is awarded each year to three women in the final year of an undergraduate degree or enrolled in a master's program, for a first research project or a literature review in mathematics.
Created by the Fondation mathématique Jacques Hadamard (FMJH), the prize aims to encourage female students to continue in the field. In France, even more than elsewhere, many girls who excel at mathematics in high school turn away from the subject in higher education. Through this initiative, the FMJH hopes to create a powerful symbol that will help young women envision a future in mathematical research. "And what better female role model could inspire young minds than Maryam Mirzakhani, a brilliant star of mathematics?"
