Audrey Terras facts for kids

Audrey Anne Terras, born on September 10, 1942, is an American mathematician. She is known for her work in number theory, which is a branch of mathematics that studies whole numbers. Her research has also explored interesting topics like quantum chaos and special mathematical functions called zeta functions.

Early Life and Learning

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

College and University Studies

She earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Science (BS) in mathematics, in 1964. This was from the University of Maryland, College Park. Later, she went to Yale University. There, she earned her Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1966. She then completed her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in 1970.

Why Math?

In an interview from 2008, Audrey Terras shared why she chose to study mathematics. She said the U.S. government offered money to students studying math. This was during the time of Sputnik, when the country needed more mathematicians. She chose math over history because of this support.

Audrey Terras's Career

Audrey Terras started working at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) in 1972. She began as an assistant professor. By 1983, she became a full professor. She retired from UCSD in 2010. Today, she holds the title of Professor Emerita, which means she is a retired professor who keeps her title.

What She Studied

When she was in college, her teacher, Sigekatu Kuroda, inspired her. He encouraged her to become a number theorist. She was especially interested in using advanced math techniques to solve problems about numbers.

Her research today covers many areas. These include number theory and harmonic analysis. She also studies special functions and algebraic graph theory. She has explored zeta functions of graphs. Other interests include arithmetical quantum chaos and the Selberg trace formula.

Awards and Recognition

Audrey Terras has received many honors for her work in mathematics.

Important Fellowships

• In 1982, she was chosen as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a big honor for scientists.
• In 2012, she became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
• She was also part of the 2019 group of fellows for the Association for Women in Mathematics.

Special Lectures

• In 2000, she gave the AWM/MAA Falconer Lecturer for the Association for Women in Mathematics and the Mathematical Association of America. Her talk was called "Finite Quantum Chaos."
• In 2008, she was the Noether Lecturer for the Association for Women in Mathematics. She spoke about "Fun with Zeta Functions of Graphs."