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Catherine A. Roberts
Catherine Roberts.jpg
Roberts in 2017
Born (1965-02-05) February 5, 1965 (age 60)
Alma mater Bowdoin College (BA)
Northwestern University (PhD)
Known for nonlinear Volterra integral equations, natural resource modeling
Scientific career
Fields Applied mathematics
Institutions University of Rhode Island
Northern Arizona University
College of the Holy Cross
Doctoral advisor W. Edward Olmstead

Catherine A. Roberts, born on February 5, 1965, is an American mathematician. She made history as the first woman to lead the American Mathematical Society. Currently, she is a professor at the College of the Holy Cross.

Early Life and Learning

Catherine Roberts was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1965. Her family later moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts. There, her father started a law business. Her mother became an important leader in their community. Catherine is married to a chemistry professor. They have two sons.

Catherine went to Bowdoin College. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1987. Her studies focused on mathematics and art history. She also received a teaching certificate for math. Later, in 1992, she earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Her advanced degree was in applied mathematics and engineering sciences.

Career in Mathematics

Catherine Roberts began her teaching career in 1992. She was an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Rhode Island until 1995. After that, she moved to Northern Arizona University. She worked there as an assistant professor from 1995 to 1998. Then, she became an associate professor until 2001.

In 2001, Roberts joined the College of the Holy Cross. She was an associate professor there until 2013. From 2013 to 2018, she became a full professor. Since 2018, she has been a faculty associate.

From 2004 to 2016, she was the Editor-in-Chief for the Natural Resource Modeling journal. This journal publishes research about how to manage natural resources.

Leading the American Mathematical Society

From 2016 to 2023, Catherine Roberts served as the executive director of the American Mathematical Society. This is a very important organization for mathematicians. She was the first woman to hold this top leadership role.

During her time as executive director, she helped the Society grow. She led a plan that brought in new branding, including a new logo. She also helped create new offices for membership, communications, and diversity. Under her leadership, several new awards and programs were started. These included the Next Generation Fund and a new open-access journal called Communications of the AMS.

Recognition and Awards

In 2021, Catherine Roberts was honored by the Association for Women in Mathematics. She was chosen as a Fellow. This award recognized her leadership in supporting women in mathematics. She was praised for mentoring many mathematicians. She also worked to make big changes to help women in math at all stages of their careers.

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