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. She is known for her work in advanced math areas like homotopy theory and algebraic topology. These are branches of mathematics that study shapes and spaces using algebraic tools.
Professor Hess also uses these math methods to understand real-world problems. For example, she applies them to study the brain, how cancer grows, and how different materials behave. She is also a respected member of the American Mathematical Society.
Early Life and Education
Kathryn Hess was born on September 21, 1967, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in the United States. She started to excel in mathematics at a young age. In 1979, she joined a special program called the Mathematical Talent Development Project (MTDP). Her parents helped create this program in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
She earned her first degree in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1985. Later, she received her doctorate degree in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1989. Her research focused on complex mathematical ideas.
Her Work in Mathematics
Kathryn Hess has done a lot of important work in algebraic topology. This field uses tools from algebra to study shapes and spaces. She has explored topics like homotopy theory, which looks at how shapes can be continuously deformed into one another. She also works with category theory, which is a way to study mathematical structures and their relationships.
What makes her work special is how she uses these advanced math ideas. She applies them to understand complex systems in the real world. For example, she uses algebraic topology to study the structure of the brain and how it works. She also applies her math skills to learn more about materials science, which is the study of different materials and their properties.
Professor Hess is also dedicated to teaching and guiding new mathematicians. As of March 2022, she has been the main advisor for 14 students earning their PhDs in mathematics at EPFL.
Awards and Recognitions
Kathryn Hess has received many awards for her excellent teaching. In 2005, she won the Agepoly prize for best teacher in the Basic Sciences Faculty. She also received the Credit Suisse prize for best EPFL teacher in 2012. In 2013, she won the "Polysphere d'Or" Agepoly prize, which is for the best teacher at EPFL.
She was named a member of the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences in 2016. In 2017, she became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This honor recognized her contributions to mathematics and her work applying topology to biological data. It also honored her service to the math community.
In 2017, she was also recognized as a distinguished speaker by the European Mathematical Society. She gave a public lecture at a major European math conference in 2021. In 2024, she was named a fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics. This was for her efforts to support women in mathematics. She helped create programs like "Women in Topology" and is known for her great mentoring.
