Karen Uhlenbeck facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Karen Uhlenbeck
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Uhlenbeck in 1982
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Karen Keskulla
August 24, 1942 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
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| Education | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (BA) New York University Brandeis University (MA, PhD) |
| Known for | Calculus of variations Geometric analysis Minimal surfaces Yang–Mills theory |
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| Awards | MacArthur Fellowship Noether Lecturer (1988) National Medal of Science (2000) Leroy P. Steele Prize (2007) Abel Prize (2019) Leroy P. Steele Prize (2020) |
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| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Institute for Advanced Study University of Texas, Austin University of Chicago University of Illinois, Chicago University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign |
| Thesis | The calculus of variations and global analysis (1968) |
| Doctoral advisor | Richard Palais |
Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck (born August 24, 1942) is an American mathematician. She is known as one of the people who helped create modern geometric analysis. This is a field that uses geometry to study equations.
She used to be a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Now, she is a visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study and Princeton University. In 2019, she won the Abel Prize. This award is like the Nobel Prize for mathematics. She was the first woman ever to win it. She gave half of her prize money to groups that help women get involved in math research.
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Karen Uhlenbeck's Early Life and Education
Karen Uhlenbeck was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1942. Her father was an engineer, and her mother was a teacher and artist. When she was a child, her family moved to New Jersey. Her last name, Keskulla, comes from her Estonian grandfather.
She went to the University of Michigan and earned her first degree in 1964. She then started her advanced studies at New York University. In 1965, she married a biophysicist named Olke C. Uhlenbeck. She moved with him to Harvard and continued her studies at Brandeis University. There, she earned her master's degree in 1966 and her PhD in 1968. Her PhD paper was about "The Calculus of Variations and Global Analysis."
Her Career as a Mathematician
After finishing her studies, Karen Uhlenbeck worked at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley. It was hard for her and her husband to find permanent jobs at the same university. This was because of old rules that stopped universities from hiring both a husband and wife.
In 1971, she started working at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. She didn't like living there, so she moved to the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1976. In the same year, she and her first husband separated. She later moved to the University of Chicago in 1983. In 1988, she married another mathematician, Robert F. Williams. She then moved to the University of Texas at Austin. Today, she is a professor emeritus there.
Important Math Discoveries
Karen Uhlenbeck is a key person in geometric analysis. This area of math uses differential geometry to understand how to solve differential equations. She also worked on topological quantum field theory and integrable systems.
In the early 1980s, she worked with Jonathan Sacks. They found ways to understand how smooth certain math solutions are. This helped in studying harmonic maps and Yang–Mills–Higgs equations. Another mathematician, Simon Donaldson, called their 1981 paper a "landmark." It showed that math arguments could still lead to important results for these equations.
Her work also helped in understanding minimal surfaces. These are like the smallest possible surfaces that can connect certain points. Her discoveries have had a big impact on many areas of geometry.
Helping Others in Mathematics
Karen Uhlenbeck cares about helping other people learn math. In 1991, she helped start the Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI). This program helps different groups of mathematicians learn and grow.
She also helped create the Women and Mathematics Program (WAM) at the Institute for Advanced Study. This program aims to get more women into math and help them stay in the field. Many people see her as a great role model. She encourages young people, especially women, to pursue careers in mathematics.
Personal Life and Inspiration
Karen Uhlenbeck describes herself as a "messy reader" and "messy thinker." She has many books stacked on her desk. When she won the Abel Prize, she shared a fun story. She said that because there weren't many female math role models when she was young, she looked up to chef Julia Child. Uhlenbeck joked that Child "knew how to pick the turkey up off the floor and serve it." This meant Child was good at fixing mistakes and getting things done.
Awards and Special Recognition
In March 2019, Karen Uhlenbeck made history. She became the first woman to win the Abel Prize. The award committee praised her for her "pioneering achievements" in geometric equations and other math fields. They said her work changed how we understand minimal surfaces. She gave half of her prize money to two organizations: the EDGE Foundation and the Women and Mathematics (WAM) Program.
She also won the National Medal of Science in 2000. This is one of the highest science awards in the United States. In 2007, she received the Leroy P. Steele Prize for her important work in math. She became a MacArthur Fellow in 1983 and a member of the National Academy of Sciences in 1986.
In 1988, she was a Noether Lecturer for the Association for Women in Mathematics. In 1990, she gave a main speech at the International Congress of Mathematicians. She was only the second woman ever to do this.
She has also received many honorary doctorates from universities like the University of Michigan and Harvard University.
See also
