Audrey Terras facts for kids

Audrey Anne Terras (born September 10, 1942) is an American mathematician. She is known for her work in number theory, which studies whole numbers and their properties. Her research often looks at special math functions called zeta functions. She also explores quantum chaos, which is about how chaos appears in quantum systems.

Becoming a Math Whiz

Audrey Terras was born on September 10, 1942, in Washington, D.C.. She loved learning from a young age.

Her College Journey

Audrey went to the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). She earned a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in mathematics in 1964. After that, she continued her studies at Yale University. There, she received her Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1966. She then earned her PhD, which is the highest university degree, in 1970.

Why Math?

In an interview, Audrey shared why she chose math. She said the U.S. government offered money for math students. This was during the "Sputnik" era. At that time, the U.S. wanted more scientists and mathematicians. This was to keep up with other countries in space exploration. She chose math because it was a field where she could get support for her studies.

Her Amazing Career

Audrey Terras started teaching at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). She joined as an assistant professor in 1972. She worked hard and became a full professor in 1983. This means she became a top-level teacher and researcher. She retired in 2010 and is now a Professor Emerita. This title is given to retired professors who are still highly respected.

What She Studied

Audrey was inspired by her teacher, Sigekatu Kuroda. He encouraged her to study number theory. This is a branch of math that explores numbers and their relationships. She was especially interested in using advanced math tools to solve problems about numbers.

Her research covers many exciting areas. She studies zeta functions of graphs. Graphs in math are like networks of points connected by lines. She also works on quantum chaos. This area combines ideas from quantum physics and chaos theory. It looks at how unpredictable behavior can show up in tiny particles.

Awards and Honors

Audrey Terras has received many important awards for her work. These awards show how much her contributions are valued in the math world.

• In 1982, she became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a big honor for scientists.
• She gave the AWM/MAA Falconer Lecture in 2000. Her talk was called "Finite Quantum Chaos."
• In 2008, she was chosen as the Noether Lecturer by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM). This is a very special lecture series. She spoke about "Fun with Zeta Functions of Graphs."
• In 2012, she became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
• She was also part of the 2019 class of fellows for the Association for Women in Mathematics.