Autumn Kent facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Autumn Kent
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | B.A., University of North Carolina at Asheville, 1999 Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2006 |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Geometry, Topology |
| Institutions | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Thesis | Geometry and algebra of hyperbolic 3-manifolds (2006) |
| Doctoral advisor | Cameron Gordon |
Autumn Kent is an American mathematician who studies topology and geometry. She teaches mathematics as a professor at the University of Wisconsin. Autumn Kent is also a transgender woman who works to support trans rights.
Autumn Kent's Education Journey
Autumn Kent earned her first degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), from the University of North Carolina at Asheville in 1999. At first, she thought about becoming an English teacher for high school students. However, she decided to study mathematics instead, along with literature.
She then went on to get her Ph.D. (a higher degree) in 2006 from the University of Texas at Austin. Her main teacher for this degree was Cameron McAllan Gordon. Her special research paper, called a dissertation, was about "Geometry and Algebra of Hyperbolic 3-manifolds."
After finishing her Ph.D., Autumn Kent worked at Brown University for four years. She was an assistant professor there. In 2010, she joined the faculty at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She became an associate professor in 2016 and a full professor in 2020.
What Autumn Kent Does
Autumn Kent has written more than 20 research papers for different science journals. Most of her work is about low dimensional topology and knot theory. These are special areas of mathematics. Many of her early papers were published under her former name before she shared her true identity as a transgender woman.
Kent has also helped promote fairness and inclusion in science.
- From 2019 to 2022, she was part of the Policy and Advocacy Committee for the Association for Women in Mathematics.
- She also spoke at a panel discussion in 2019 about making STEM fields more welcoming for everyone.
- With another mathematician named Harrison Bray, she helped organize a special conference at the University of Michigan. This conference brought together LGBTQ+ mathematicians who work in geometry, topology, and dynamical systems. Her NSF Career Award helped fund this event.
- In 2022, she gave a special talk called the Spectra Lavender Lecture at a big mathematics meeting.
Awards and Honors
Autumn Kent has received several important awards and recognitions for her work:
- In 1999, she won the Frank Gerth Dissertation Award.
- She received an NSF Career Award in 2014. This award helped her study Riemann surfaces, which are complex mathematical shapes.
- From 2015 to 2016, she was a von Neumann Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study. This is a very respected place for advanced research.
- The University of Wisconsin–Madison named her a Vilas Associate for 2018 and 2019.
- In 2019, she received a Simons Fellowship, which supports important research.
- In 2024, she was chosen as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This is a high honor given to mathematicians who have made outstanding contributions.
See also
In Spanish: Autumn Kent para niños
