Alison Miller facts for kids

Alison Beth Miller is an American mathematician. She made history as the first American girl to win a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad. She also achieved amazing results in the Putnam Competition, a very tough math contest for college students. She placed in the top 16 four times! For her last three performances, she received the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam award, which celebrates outstanding female mathematicians.

Early Life and Early Achievements

Alison Miller grew up in Niskayuna, New York, where she was taught at home. Even before her math fame, she showed her talent in other areas. In 2000, she placed third in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, a national spelling competition.

Her journey in mathematics began to shine brightly in 2004. That year, she represented the U.S. at the International Mathematical Olympiad. This is a global competition for the best high school math students. Alison won a gold medal, becoming the first American girl ever to do so!

College Years and Awards

Alison went on to study mathematics at Harvard University. During her time there, she continued to excel in math competitions. She won the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam award three times: in 2005, 2006, and 2007. This achievement matched a record set by another talented mathematician, Ioana Dumitriu, ten years earlier.

In 2007, Alison also helped coach American girls. They were preparing for the China Girls Mathematical Olympiad. This was a special year because it was the first time the U.S. sent a team to this competition.

In 2008, Alison received another important honor. She was a co-winner of the Alice T. Schafer Prize. This award is given by the Association for Women in Mathematics. It recognizes excellent math skills in undergraduate women. Alison earned this prize for her three research papers she wrote during college.

She graduated from Harvard University in 2008 with top honors in Mathematics. Her final college project, called a senior thesis, won the Hoopes Prize. After Harvard, she received a special scholarship, the Churchill Scholarship. This allowed her to study for a year at the University of Cambridge in England.

Advanced Studies and Career

Alison continued her advanced studies at Princeton University. She earned her Ph.D. in 2014. Her research focused on knot invariants, which are ways to study and classify knots using mathematical tools. Her advisor was the famous mathematician Manjul Bhargava.

After finishing her Ph.D., Alison worked as a researcher at Harvard University. Later, she became an associate editor for Mathematical Reviews. This organization helps review and summarize new math research papers.

It's important not to confuse Alison Beth Miller with Allison N. Miller. Allison N. Miller is also a mathematician, but she works at Swarthmore College.