Anne Taormina facts for kids
Anne Taormina is a brilliant scientist from Belgium and Britain. She is a mathematical physicist, which means she uses advanced math to understand how the universe works. Her studies include ideas like string theory, which suggests that tiny, vibrating strings are the basic building blocks of everything. She also explores conformal field theory, a way to understand how things behave at very small scales, and other complex math topics.
Beyond these areas, she has also looked at the amazing icosahedral symmetry (a shape with 20 faces) found in virus capsids, which are the protective shells of viruses. She used to be a Professor of Theoretical Particle Physics at Durham University in the UK. She even led the Department of Mathematical Sciences there from January 2014 to December 2018. On September 1, 2024, she moved to King's College London to become the Head of the Department of Mathematics.
Early Life and Learning
Anne Taormina grew up in Mons, Belgium. Her parents were both schoolteachers, and she has two sisters. One sister became a doctor, and the other became a translator.
She started her journey in science by earning a university degree in mathematical sciences in 1980 from the University of Mons. She continued her studies at the same university. In 1984, she completed her doctorate degree in theoretical particle physics. Her supervisor, Jean Nuyts, guided her research during this time.
Her Career Journey
After finishing her doctorate, Anne Taormina worked in several exciting places. She had short research jobs with the Belgian National Fund for Scientific Research. She also worked at the laboratory for theoretical physics in Paris, France, supported by the French National Centre for Scientific Research. Her journey also took her to CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, which is a famous place for particle physics research. She also spent time at the University of Chicago in the United States.
In 1991, she came to Durham, UK, as a special research fellow. She stayed at Durham University, first as a temporary lecturer from 1996 to 1997. Then, she worked as a Leverhulme Postdoc from 1997 to 2000. In 2000, she became a lecturer. Her hard work and dedication led to promotions: she became a reader in 2004 and a full professor in 2006.
Professor Taormina led the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Durham University for five years, from 2014 to 2018. She is also a member of the council for the London Mathematical Society, which is an important group for mathematicians.
Personal Life
Anne Taormina is married to another British physicist, Nigel Glover. He is also a professor at Durham University.
