KAREN UHLENBECK GIVING A TALK AT THE INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDY (IAS).
Credit: Andrea Kane
By Ruth Charney, Theodore and Evelyn Berenson Professor of Mathematics
We are thrilled to announce that Karen Uhlenbeck has won the 2019 Abel Prize in Mathematics. Uhlenbeck received her PhD from Brandeis in 1968 and was awarded an honorary degree by Brandeis in 2008. The Abel prize, which is given out by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, is one of the most prestigious awards in mathematics and has never before been awarded to a woman. The prize recognizes Uhlenbeck “for her pioneering achievements in geometric partial differential equations, gauge theory and integrable systems, and for the fundamental impact of her work on analysis, geometry and mathematical physics.” Hans Munthe-Kaas, Chair of the Abel Committee, notes that “Her theories have revolutionized our understanding of minimal surfaces, such as those formed by soap bubbles, and more general minimization problems in higher dimensions.” She has also been a strong advocate for women in mathematics. www.eurekalert.org, www.nature.com
