Ana Maria Rey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ana Maria Rey
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Rey in 2014
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| Born | 1976/1977 (age 47–48) Bogotá, Colombia
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| Alma mater | Universidad de los Andes, University of Maryland |
| Children | 1 |
| Awards | MacArthur Fellowship, Maria Goeppert-Mayer Award, Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award, Blavatnik Award for Young Scientists |
| Scientific career | |
| Institutions | University of Colorado Boulder, National Institute of Standards and Technology |
| Thesis | Ultracold bosonic atoms loaded in optical lattices (2004) |
| Doctoral advisor | Charles Clark |
Ana Maria Rey is an amazing scientist from Colombia. She is a theoretical physicist and a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. This means she uses math and ideas to understand how the universe works, especially at a very tiny level.
She is also a special researcher at JILA and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Plus, she is a fellow of the American Physical Society, which is a big group for physicists. In 2019, Ana Maria Rey made history as the first Hispanic woman to win the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists. In 2023, she was chosen to be part of the National Academy of Sciences, which is a huge honor for scientists in the United States. She also leads a division of the American Physical Society that studies atoms, molecules, and light.
Contents
Her Journey in Science
Early Education
Ana Maria Rey started her science journey in her home country. She earned her first degree in physics from the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá in 1999. She did so well that she graduated with a special honor called magna cum laude. This means she had excellent grades!
She then moved to the United States to continue her studies. She earned her Ph.D. in physics from the University of Maryland in 2004.
Postdoctoral Research
After getting her Ph.D., Ana Maria Rey worked as a postdoctoral researcher. This is like an advanced internship where scientists do more research after their Ph.D. She worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology from 2004 to 2005. Then, she became a postdoctoral fellow at a special institute at Harvard University from 2005 to 2008.
Her Work and Discoveries
Joining the University of Colorado Boulder
In 2008, after her postdoctoral work, Ana Maria Rey joined the University of Colorado Boulder. She started as an assistant research professor and also became an associate fellow at JILA. She became a full JILA Fellow in 2012.
What She Studies
Ana Maria Rey is a theoretical quantum physicist. This means she studies the rules of the universe at its smallest level, where things behave very strangely. She looks for new ways to control tiny quantum systems. Her research helps with many cool technologies.
Real-World Applications
Her work is often used in real-life experiments. For example, it helps improve atomic clocks, which are super accurate timekeepers. It also helps with quantum computing, which is a new type of computer that could solve problems much faster than today's computers. Her research has helped scientists understand how quantum information gets mixed up and how to create special quantum materials.
The Rey Theory Group
Ana Maria Rey leads her own research team called the Rey Theory Group. They focus on exciting topics like:
- Quantum magnetism: How tiny particles act like magnets.
- Quantum metrology: Making super precise measurements using quantum rules.
- Topological quantum matter: Studying materials with special properties.
- Open quantum systems: How quantum systems interact with their surroundings.
- Quantum state engineering: Designing and building specific quantum states.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Ana Maria Rey has received many important awards for her amazing work:
- 2013: MacArthur Fellowship (often called the "Genius Grant")
- 2013: Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers
- 2013: "Great Minds in STEM" Most Promising Scientist Award
- 2014: Early Career National Hispanic Scientist of the Year
- 2014: Maria Goeppert-Mayer Award from the American Physical Society
- 2014: Became a Fellow of the American Physical Society
- 2019: Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists (she was the first Hispanic woman to win this!)
- 2023: Elected as a Member of the National Academy of Sciences
- 2023: Vannevar Bush Faculty Fellowship from the Department of Defense
- 2023: Presidential Rank Award, recognizing her as a Distinguished Senior Professional
Her Life Story
Ana Maria Rey grew up in Bogotá, Colombia, during a challenging time in the early 1990s. Despite the difficulties around her, she focused on her studies and her passion for science.
She got married on July 29, 2000. Just two days later, she moved to the United States to start her new life and continue her scientific career.
See also
In Spanish: Ana María Rey para niños
