Karine Chemla facts for kids
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Karine Chemla was born on February 8, 1957. She is a French expert who studies the history of mathematics. She is also a sinologist, which means she is an expert in Chinese language and culture. She works as a director of research at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS). The CNRS is a very important research center in France. She is also a senior researcher at the New York University Institute for the Study of the Ancient World. In 2019, she became a member of the American Philosophical Society, an important group of thinkers.
Karine Chemla's Education
Karine Chemla studied at Paris Diderot University and the École normale supérieure de jeunes filles. In 1978, she earned an agrégation in mathematics. This is a special exam in France that allows you to teach at a high level. In 1979, she got a diploma of advanced studies. At first, she focused on pure mathematics, which is math for its own sake.
However, in 1980, something changed her path. She was inspired by the work of a scientist named Ilya Prigogine. She won a special scholarship called the Singer–Polignac scholarship. This allowed her to travel to China. There, she began to study the history of Chinese mathematics. When she returned to France, she earned her Ph.D. in the history of mathematics in 1982. This degree was from Paris 13 University. Around that time, she started working for the CNRS.
Her Contributions to Knowledge
Karine Chemla's main research interests are very interesting. She studies Chinese mathematics in great detail. She also looks at French geometry from the 1800s. Another area she explores is the theory of how the history of mathematics should be studied.
One of her big achievements was in 2004. She worked with Guo Shuchun to publish an important book. It was a special edition and French translation of The Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art. This is a very old and famous Chinese math book. She also helped edit another book called Mathematics, Administrative and Economic Activities in Ancient Worlds. She worked on this with Cécile Michel, and it was published in 2020.
Awards and Recognition
Karine Chemla has received many honors for her work. In 1998, she was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians. This is a big event where top mathematicians share their ideas.
She became a member of several important academic groups:
- The Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 2004.
- The International Academy of the History of Science in 2005.
- The Academia Europaea in 2013.
From 2013 to 2014, she held the Sarton Chair of History of Science at Ghent University. This is a special teaching position. She also served as the president of the European Society for the History of Science from 2014 to 2016. In 2020, she won the Otto Neugebauer Prize. In 2021, she received the LMS-BSHM Hirst Prize. These awards recognize her important contributions to the history of mathematics.
