Irene Fonseca facts for kids

Irene Maria Quintanilha Coelho da Fonseca is a smart mathematician from Portugal and America. She is a special professor of mathematics at Carnegie Mellon University. There, she leads a group called the Center for Nonlinear Analysis. This center is part of the university's science department. They study very complex math problems.

Her Journey in Math

Irene Fonseca was born in Portugal. She went to the University of Lisbon for her first studies. Later, she earned her Ph.D. (a very high university degree) from the University of Minnesota in 1985. Her main teacher there was David Kinderlehrer. After finishing her studies in Paris, France, she joined the faculty at Carnegie Mellon University.

In 2011, Irene Fonseca was chosen to be the president of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). This is a big group for people who use math to solve real-world problems. She was president from 2013 to 2014. She also helped judge for the Infosys Prize in math in 2014 and 2015.

Currently, she leads a special group within SIAM. This group focuses on how math can help us understand different materials. She was also chosen to be a Vice President of the American Mathematical Society for three years, starting in 2024. This is another important role in the math world.

Books She Wrote

Irene Fonseca has written or co-written some important math books:

• Degree Theory in Analysis and Applications (with Wilfrid Gangbo, Oxford University Press, 1995)
• Modern Methods in the Calculus of Variations: L^P Spaces (with Giovanni Leoni, Springer Verlag, 2007)

Awards and Special Recognitions

Irene Fonseca has received many honors for her work:

• She is a knight of the Order of Saint James of the Sword. This is a special award from Portugal.
• In 2009, she became a "fellow" of SIAM. This means she was recognized as a top expert for her work on complex math equations.
• In 2012, she also became a "fellow" of the American Mathematical Society.
• She was once a member of the AMS Council, helping to guide the society.
• In 2021, she was chosen to join the European Academy of Sciences (EURASC).
• In 2022, she received the Senior Prize from the International Society for the Interaction of Mechanics and Mathematics. This award was for her amazing contributions to math, especially in understanding materials. It also recognized her great service to the math community and for being an inspiring role model for other female mathematicians.

See also

In Spanish: Irene Fonseca para niños