Ruth Britto facts for kids

Ruth Alexandra Britto-Pacumio is an American scientist who studies both mathematics and physics. She explores big ideas like black holes and how tiny particles move. She also helped create a special math tool called BCFW recursion. This tool helps scientists understand how particles interact. She teaches at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. She also works with a research center in France.

Becoming a Scientist

Ruth Britto grew up in Binghamton, New York. Her father was a professor of economics. She loved math from a young age.

Early Achievements

Ruth went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) for college. She studied mathematics there. In 1994, she won the Elizabeth Lowell Putnam Prize. This award is for the best female student in a big math competition. In 1995, she won another important award. It was the Alice T. Schafer Prize for excellent math students. This prize is given by the Association for Women in Mathematics.

Advanced Studies and Research

Ruth continued her studies at Harvard University. She earned her Ph.D. in physics in 2002. Her main research was about special types of black holes.

After Harvard, she worked as a researcher. She worked at several famous places. These included the Institute for Advanced Study and the University of Amsterdam. She also worked at Fermilab and CEA Paris-Saclay. In 2014, she joined the staff at Trinity College Dublin.

What She Studies

Ruth Britto is a mathematical physicist. This means she uses math to understand the universe. Her work helps us learn about very complex things.

Black Holes

One of her main topics is black holes. These are areas in space where gravity is so strong that nothing can escape. She studies their properties using advanced math.

Particle Physics

She also studies how tiny particles behave. This includes topics like Yang–Mills theory. This theory helps describe fundamental forces in nature. She also works on Feynman integrals. These are mathematical tools used to calculate how particles interact.

BCFW Recursion Relations

Ruth Britto is famous for her work on BCFW recursion relations. She developed these with other scientists. This is a special method. It helps physicists calculate how particles scatter off each other. This tool has made it easier to understand particle collisions.