Emille D. Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emille D. Lawrence
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| Alma mater | Spelman College and University of Georgia |
| Awards | AWM Service Award Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics, 2024 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | University of San Francisco |
| Thesis | Characterizing Right-Veering Homeomorphisms of the Punctured Torus via the Burau Representation (2007) |
| Doctoral advisor | Clint McCrory and Will Kazez |
Emille Davie Lawrence is a super smart mathematician who studies shapes and spaces in a special way called topology. She is a professor and leads the Math and Statistics department at the University of San Francisco.
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Becoming a Mathematician
Emille Lawrence earned her first degree in Mathematics from Spelman College. Later, she received her PhD in Mathematics from the University of Georgia in 2007. Her important research paper, called a dissertation, was guided by two professors, Clint McCrory and Will Kazez.
What She Studies
Dr. Lawrence is a low-dimensional topologist. This means she studies the properties of shapes and spaces, especially in two or three dimensions. Her work helps us understand how different shapes can be twisted, stretched, or connected without tearing them.
She is interested in several cool math topics:
- Braid groups: These are like studying how different braids can be moved around and combined.
- Geometric group theory: This area uses shapes and geometry to understand groups, which are special collections of numbers or objects.
- Spatial graphs: These are like drawings of lines and points that exist in 3D space, not just on a flat piece of paper.
Helping Other Students
Beyond her research, Dr. Lawrence is a big supporter of getting more people involved in math. She works to help students learn and grow in mathematical sciences. She does this through outreach programs and by guiding younger mathematicians.
She is also the main editor for a blog called Math Mamas for the American Mathematical Society. This blog shares stories and advice from mathematicians who are also mothers.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Dr. Emille Lawrence has received several important awards for her work and dedication.
AWM Service Award
In 2021, she received the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) Service Award. This award recognized her hard work in several roles:
- She led the committee for AWM's 50th Anniversary.
- Since 2016, she has been the head of the Mentor Network Committee, helping connect students with experienced mathematicians.
- She helped start the AWM Student Chapter at the University of San Francisco, guiding students there.
The award recognized how Emille has worked to include many different mathematicians in AWM, no matter where they are in their careers.
Other Honors
Also in 2021, Dr. Lawrence was given a Karen Edge Fellowship. She was also featured on the AWM website Women Do Math, which highlights amazing women in mathematics. In 2024, she was chosen as a fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics, which is a high honor.
