Dorte Olesen facts for kids
Dorte Marianne Olesen is a famous Danish mathematician. She made history in 1988. At Roskilde University, she became the first Danish woman to be a full professor of mathematics. She also helped create important education and research networks. These networks connect people in Denmark and across Europe.
Growing Up and School
Dorte Olesen was born on January 8, 1948, in Hillerød, Denmark. Her father, Knud Henning Olesen, was a medical specialist. Her mother, Irene Mariane Pedersen, was also a doctor.
After finishing high school in Copenhagen, Dorte first studied medicine at Copenhagen University. She hoped to become a biophysicist, someone who studies living things using physics. When that wasn't possible, she decided to study mathematics instead.
She graduated in 1973. She even won a gold medal from the university for her special project on "operator algebra." This is a complex area of mathematics. In 1975, she earned a Lic.Scient degree in mathematics from Odense University. This degree is like a PhD.
Dorte also traveled to other countries to study. She visited Philadelphia in 1971–72 and Marseille in 1974 and 1979. She was also a guest professor at Berkeley in 1984–85.
When she was 23, Dorte married Gert Kjærgaard Pedersen. He was one of her teachers at Copenhagen University and later became a well-known mathematics professor. They had three children: Just (born 1976), Oluf (1980), and Cecilie (1984).
Her Career in Mathematics and Technology
Dorte Olesen returned to Copenhagen University in 1975 as a senior scholar. She became a lecturer there in 1980. Then, in 1988, she was named a Professor of Mathematics at Roskilde University. This was a very important moment because she was the first Danish woman to become a full professor in mathematics.
In 1989, Dorte took on a new role. She became the executive director of UNI-C. This was a Danish government department. Its main job was to help use computer technology in research and education. She led UNI-C until 2011.
During her time at UNI-C, she helped create the Danish NREN research network. This network connects researchers and students across Denmark. She also worked on developing computer services and trying out new ways to support learning online. Dorte also encouraged the use of the internet for education, even in elementary schools. She also supported the growth of e-business in Denmark.
Dorte Olesen also played a big part in connecting Europe through technology. In 1992, she joined a special committee for the European Commission. This committee focused on high-performance computing and networking. From 2001 to 2005, she was part of another expert group on using technology in education.
She was also the president of TERENA from 2003 to 2009. TERENA was an organization that helped connect research and education networks across Europe. From 2010 to 2011, she helped plan the future of GÉANT, which is a very fast European research and education network. Later, from 2014 to 2017, she served on the Board of Directors of GÉANT. This was during a time when two big networking organizations, DANTE and TERENA, joined together.
Awards and Honors
Dorte Olesen has received several important awards for her work. In 1992, she was given the Order of the Dannebrog. This is a special Danish award. In 2000, she was honored as a Knight of the First Class in the same order. She also received the Tagea Brandts Rejselegat in 1987. This is a travel grant given to women who have made important contributions to science, art, or literature.
