Ruth Aaronson Bari (November 17, 1917 – August 25, 2005)[1] was an American mathematician known for her work in graph theory and algebraic homomorphisms.

When the university suggested that women in the graduate program should give up their fellowships so that men returning from World War II could study, Bari acceded.

[4] After she received her degree, mathematician William Tutte invited Bari to spend two weeks lecturing on her work in Canada at the University of Waterloo.

In 1976, two professors relied on computer work to solve the perennial problem of Bari's dissertation, involving the four-color conjecture.

When her daughter Martha asked her if she felt cheated by the technological solution, Bari replied, "I'm just grateful that it was solved within my lifetime and that I had the privilege to witness it.

"[2] During her teaching career, Bari participated in a class-action lawsuit against George Washington University which protested inequalities in promotion and pay for female faculty members.