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Melanie Eggers Wood, born 1981, was the first, and until 2004, the only female American to make the U.S. Math Olympiad Team, receiving silver medals in the 1998 and 1999 International Mathematical Olympiad.

Melanie's mother began teaching her mathematics at age three, in order to instill in Melanie the memory of her father, Archie (a middle-school math teacher), who died of cancer when Melanie was only six weeks old. By age four, she had gotten bored with basic mathematics and was learning linear algebra. In seventh grade, she entered a national contest, MathCounts; having not studied for the contest previously she finished first in her state and 40th in the entire nation. The following year she would finish 10th in the nation.

She won a Gates Cambridge Scholarship in 2003, in addition to becoming the first American woman and second woman overall to be named a Putnam Fellow. In 2004, she won the Morgan Prize. After an undergraduate career at Duke University as an Angier B. Duke Scholar, she now studies mathematics at Princeton University.

In 2005, she was named the Deputy Leader of the U.S. team for the 2005 International Mathematical Olympiad.

Trivia

Melanie is one of a handful of Duke math team students to have her number "retired". Unlike many math students who choose irrational or complex numbers, Melanie's number was the simple "2".
In addition to mathematics, Melanie has an interest in theater, having been involved in several Duke University productions. She sees the two having commonality, both requiring a degree of technical and creative abilities.

External links

A Conversation with Melanie Wood (Math Horizons magazine)
The Girl Who Loved Math (Discover magazine)

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-'''Melanie Wood''', born [[1981]], was the first, and until [[2004]], the only female American to make the U.S. Math Olympiad Team, receiving silver medals in the [[1998]] and [[1999]] [[International Mathematical Olympiad]].
+'''Melanie Eggers Wood''', born [[1981]], was the first, and until [[2004]], the only female American to make the U.S. Math Olympiad Team, receiving silver medals in the [[1998]] and [[1999]] [[International Mathematical Olympiad]].
-Melanie's mother began teaching her mathematics at age three, in order to instill in Melanie the memory of her father, Archie (a middle-school math teacher), who died of cancer when Melanie was only six weeks old.  By age four, she had gotten bored with basic mathematics and was learning linear algebra.  In seventh grade, she entered a national contest, MathCounts; having not studied for the contest previously she finished first in her state and 40th in the entire nation.  The following year she would finish 10th in the nation.
+Melanie's mother began teaching her mathematics at age three, in order to instill in Melanie the memory of her father, Archie (a middle-school math teacher), who died of cancer when Melanie was only six weeks old.  By age four, she had gotten bored with basic mathematics and was learning linear algebra.  In seventh grade, she entered a national contest, [[MathCounts]]; having not studied for the contest previously she finished first in her state and 40th in the entire nation.  The following year she would finish 10th in the nation.
 She won a [[Gates Cambridge Scholarship]] in 2003, in addition to becoming the first American woman and second woman overall to be named a [[Putnam Fellow]]. In 2004, she won the [[Morgan Prize]]. After an undergraduate career at [[Duke University]] as an Angier B. Duke Scholar, she now studies mathematics at [[Princeton University]].
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 [[Category:1981 births|Wood, Melanie]]
 [[Category:Putnam Fellows|Wood, Melanie]]
+[[Category:Duke University alumni|Wood, Melanie]]