Kathryn Hess facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kathryn Hess Bellwald
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Kathryn Hess Bellwald in 2019
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| Born | 21 September 1967 |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Madison Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
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| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) |
| Doctoral advisor | David Jay Anick |
Kathryn Pamela Hess (born in 1967) is an American mathematician. She has been a professor of mathematics at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland since 1999. Professor Hess is famous for her work in algebraic topology. This is a field of math that uses shapes to solve problems. She also uses her math skills to study things like the brain (neuroscience), cancer, and new materials. She is a respected member of the American Mathematical Society.
Early Life and Education
Kathryn Hess was born on September 21, 1967, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, USA. She showed a strong talent for math from a young age. In 1979, her parents helped start a special math program for talented kids. This program was in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
She went to the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1985, she earned her bachelor's degree in mathematics with honors. Later, she continued her studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She received her doctorate degree in mathematics from MIT in 1989. Her main advisor there was David J. Anick.
What She Studies
Professor Hess works in a field called algebraic topology. This area of math uses tools from algebra to study shapes and spaces. She explores topics like homotopy theory. This is about how shapes can be continuously changed into one another. She also studies category theory, which looks at relationships between different mathematical structures.
What makes her work extra cool is how she uses these advanced math ideas. She applies them to real-world problems. For example, she uses algebraic topology to understand the human brain. This is part of neuroscience. She also uses her math skills to learn more about cancer and how new materials behave.
As of March 2025, Professor Hess has guided many students. She has been the main advisor for 21 students who earned their PhDs in mathematics at EPFL. Nine of these students were women.
Awards and Recognition
Kathryn Hess is not only a brilliant mathematician but also a great teacher. She has won several awards for her teaching skills. In 2005, she received the Agepoly prize for being the best teacher in the Basic Sciences Faculty. She also won the Credit Suisse prize for best EPFL teacher in 2012. In 2013, she received the "Polysphere d'Or" Agepoly prize for being the best teacher at EPFL.
In 2016, she became a member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences. The next year, in 2017, she was named a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This honor was for her important work in homotopy theory. It also recognized her use of topology to study biological data. Plus, it was for her service to the math community.
In 2017, she was recognized as a distinguished speaker by the European Mathematical Society. She gave a public lecture at a big math conference in June 2021. In 2024, she was named a fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics. This was for her support of women in math. She helped create and keep alive programs like "Women in Topology." She is also known for being an excellent mentor to her students.
