Allison Henrich facts for kids
Allison Henrich (born in 1980) is an American mathematician. She is an expert in knot theory, which is the study of mathematical knots. She also enjoys helping college students do math research. Today, she is a professor of mathematics at Seattle University.
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About Allison Henrich
Allison Henrich is known for her work in mathematics. She helps students learn and love math. She has written books and won awards for her teaching. Her main focus is on understanding knots in a mathematical way.
Her Journey in Math
When Allison Henrich started college, she wanted to be a teacher. She went to the University of Washington. In 2003, she earned two degrees: one in mathematics and one in philosophy.
Later, she continued her studies at Dartmouth College. She earned her Ph.D. in 2008. Her big research paper was about "virtual knots." Her professor, Vladimir Chernov, guided her work. Another important mentor at Dartmouth was Carolyn S. Gordon.
In 2009, she joined the math department at Seattle University. She worked hard and became a full professor in 2019.
Sharing Math Through Books
Allison Henrich has helped write several books about mathematics.
- She co-wrote An Interactive Introduction to Knot Theory (2017). This book helps people learn about mathematical knots in a fun way.
- She also co-wrote A Mathematician’s Practical Guide to Mentoring Undergraduate Research (2019). This book helps math experts guide college students in their research.
- With other mathematicians, she helped edit Living Proof: Stories of Resilience Along the Mathematical Journey (2019). This book shares inspiring stories from people in math.
- She also edited Knots, Links, Spatial Graphs, and Algebraic Invariants (2017). This book is about advanced topics in knot theory.
Awards and Helping Others
Allison Henrich has received important awards for her work.
- In 2015, the Mathematical Association of America gave her the Henry L. Alder Award. This award is for excellent teaching by new college math professors.
- She also won the Paul R. Halmos – Lester R. Ford Award in 2015. This was for an article she wrote with Louis Kauffman called "Unknotting unknots." The award recognized her clear and excellent writing.
The Alder Award also praised her for several things:
- She uses fun, interactive ways to teach math.
- She helps college math students become mentors for younger, elementary school students.
- She started a summer research program at Seattle University. This program helps college students who might not usually get a chance to do math research.
