Leslie Hogben facts for kids

Leslie Hogben is a brilliant American mathematician. She is famous for her work in graph theory and linear algebra. She is also known for helping and guiding many students who are studying math. Leslie Hogben used to be a professor at Iowa State University. She also worked part-time for the American Institute of Mathematics, where she now helps lead research groups.

Her Journey in Math

Leslie Hogben finished college with top honors in 1974 from Swarthmore College. She then earned her Ph.D. (a very high degree in academics) in 1978 from Yale University. Her Ph.D. research was about a math topic called ring theory. Her advisor was the famous mathematician Nathan Jacobson.

In 1978, she started working at Iowa State University. She became a full professor there in 2006. From 2012 to 2020, she held a special position called the Dio Lewis Holl Chair in Applied Mathematics. She also taught electrical and computer engineering at Iowa State starting in 2013. She retired from Iowa State University in 2024.

Since 2007, Leslie Hogben has also worked with the American Institute of Mathematics. She first helped with programs to encourage diversity in math. Since 2024, she has been the Director of Research Communities, helping to create new research groups.

Books and Publications

Leslie Hogben has written and edited several important math books.

• She edited the Handbook of Linear Algebra. This book helps people understand linear algebra, which is a key part of math used in many fields. The first edition came out in 2007, and a second one in 2014.
• She also wrote a textbook called Elementary Linear Algebra in 1987.
• In 2022, she co-authored a book called Inverse Problems and Zero Forcing for Graphs.

Awards and Honors

Leslie Hogben has received many awards for her important work and for helping others.

• In 2020, the Association for Women in Mathematics recognized her as an AWM Fellow. This was for being a strong supporter of women in mathematics for almost 40 years. She was honored for her efforts to create equal opportunities for women and minorities in math.
• Also in 2020, she was chosen as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is a big honor in the science community.
• In 2024, she was elected as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This shows her important contributions to the field of mathematics.

Her Family

Leslie Hogben comes from a family of scientists and thinkers.

• Her father, C. A. M. Hogben, was a physiologist. Physiologists study how living things work. He worked at George Washington University and later the University of Iowa.
• Her grandfather was Lancelot Hogben, a British zoologist and medical statistician. Her grandmother was Enid Charles, who studied populations.
• Leslie Hogben is married to Mark Hunacek. He is also a mathematician and teaches at Iowa State University.