Diane Maclagan facts for kids

Diane Margaret Maclagan (born in 1974) is a math professor at the University of Warwick in the UK. She is a top researcher in different areas of math, especially algebraic geometry and tropical geometry. She studies how shapes and spaces can be described using math.

Early Life and Education

Diane Maclagan grew up in Christchurch, New Zealand. When she was a student at Burnside High School, she showed great talent in math.

Math Competitions

She competed in the International Mathematical Olympiad, which is a big math competition for high school students from all over the world. She earned a bronze medal in 1991.

University Studies

After high school, she studied at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and graduated in 1995. She then went to the University of California, Berkeley in the United States to get her PhD. She finished her PhD in 2000. Her main teacher there was Bernd Sturmfels.

Career in Mathematics

After finishing her studies, Diane Maclagan worked at several famous universities.

Teaching and Research Roles

She was a professor at Stanford University from 2001 to 2004. Then, she moved to Rutgers University, where she taught from 2004 to 2009. In 2007, she started her current job as a professor at the University of Warwick in the UK.

Books

Diane Maclagan has written important books about math.

Introduction to Tropical Geometry

One of her most famous books is Introduction to Tropical Geometry, which she wrote with Bernd Sturmfels. This book helps people learn about a newer area of math called tropical geometry. It's a way to look at shapes and equations in a different, often simpler, way.

Other Works

She also co-authored another book called Computational Algebra and Combinatorics of Toric Ideals. This book is about using computers to solve problems in algebra and geometry.