Portrait of Cédric Villani. Photo Credit : Lydia Goldblatt.
Some of them definitely are...
A characteristic that most mathematicians share is persistence, and the ability not to lose track of the goal even if the road is long to reach it. Mathematicians are however not equal with respect to the confidence they put in themselves, and even less in the confidence others put in them....
False Ideas About Mathematicians
Mathematicians are narrow-minded ?
Robert Bryant is a Top-Mathematicians, President of the American Mathematical Society, and a great supporter of the LGBT movement. His biography in the Notices of AMS is worth reading...
Mathematicians have no family life ?
Claire Voisin is a Top-Mathematicians, Member of many Academy of Sciences, and first woman to enter the Collège de France. Besides she has 5 kids. When asked, she always mentionned the time-freedom that the CNRS institution gave her to organize her life, do Mathematics and raise her kids. Time-management, the key of efficiency...
Mathematicians are disconnected of the real world ?
Cédric Villani is a Top-Mathematician, winner of the Fields Medal, the Nobel Prize in Mathematics. He decided do become Deputy at the french National Assembly, and devote his time to improve life of many others.
Only genius can become Mathematicians ?
Well, since the number of Mathematicians is exploding, and encounter a genius remains very rare, this can not be true...To have a better idea of the situation of Mathematicians in the world, it is helpfull to read the text "Mathematicians in France and in the world" by Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Top-Geometrer and President of the European Research Council.
Are Mathematicians Fashionable ?
Mathematics, Physics and Dance
Dance is as technical as Mathematics, requires the same kind of abilities like rigor, persistence and long studies...