Irene Sciriha facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Professor
Irene Sciriha Aquilina
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| Born | |
| Alma mater | Royal University of Malta (BSc) University of Reading (PhD) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | University of Malta |
| Thesis | On some aspects of graph spectra (1998) |
| Doctoral advisors | Anthony Hilton Stanley Fiorini |
Irene Sciriha Aquilina is a mathematician from Malta. She is an expert in a special area of Mathematics called graph theory. This field uses graphs (like networks of dots and lines) to solve problems.
Professor Sciriha Aquilina studies how these graphs behave. She looks at "singular graphs" and "nut graphs." These are special types of graphs that help scientists understand complex systems. She teaches mathematics at the University of Malta. She is also a respected member of the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications.
Education and Career
Irene Sciriha Aquilina studied mathematics at the University of Malta. She earned her first two degrees there. At that time, she was the only woman studying mathematics or physics at the university.
Later, she went to the University of Reading in England. She completed her PhD degree in 1998. Her research was about different aspects of graph spectra. This means she studied the mathematical properties of graphs.
What She Studies
Professor Sciriha Aquilina focuses on two main areas. One is called spectral graph theory. This looks at graphs using tools from algebra. The other is chemical graph theory. This applies graph theory to problems in chemistry.
She has done important work on "singular graphs." These are graphs where a special mathematical table, called an adjacency matrix, has a unique property. She also studies "nut graphs." These are singular graphs with even more specific features.
Teaching and Leadership
Professor Sciriha Aquilina started teaching at the University of Malta in 1971. She is now a full professor of mathematics there. She has also held important leadership roles.
From 2000 to 2001, she led the European Women in Mathematics group. She also represented Malta on the Helsinki Group. This group works with the European Commission on important topics.
Recognition
Irene Sciriha Aquilina is a Fellow of the Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications. This is a special honor for mathematicians. It shows she is highly respected in her field.
One of her students, Martha Borg, won a special award called the Turner Prize. Martha Borg's research was partly guided by Professor Sciriha Aquilina.
