Sophie Morel facts for kids

Sophie Morel (born in 1979) is a famous French mathematician. She is an expert in number theory, which is a branch of mathematics that studies whole numbers and their properties. Sophie Morel works as a top researcher in mathematics at the École normale supérieure de Lyon in France. In 2012, she won a special award from the European Mathematical Society.

Sophie Morel's Early Life and Education

Sophie Morel became interested in mathematics when she was young. In an interview from 2011, she shared that a math magazine she bought in 9th grade helped spark her interest. Summer camps also played a big part in developing her love for numbers. She was also a keen distance runner, showing her dedication and focus.

She studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, a very famous school. She finished her studies there in 1999. Later, in 2005, she earned her Ph.D. (a very high university degree) from the University of Paris-Sud. Her main teacher for her Ph.D. was Gérard Laumon. Her research helped advance a complex area of mathematics called the Langlands program.

Sophie Morel's Career Journey

After getting her Ph.D., Sophie Morel became a Clay Research Fellow. This is a special position for talented young mathematicians. She held this fellowship from 2005 to 2011.

In December 2009, she made history at Harvard University. She became a professor of mathematics there. She was the first woman to earn a permanent teaching position (called tenure) in the mathematics department at Harvard.

From 2012 to 2020, Sophie Morel was a mathematics professor at Princeton University. She was also named the Henry Burchard Fine Professor in 2015, which is a special honor. In 2020, she moved back to France. She now works as a senior researcher (directrice de recherches) at the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon.

Awards and Recognition for Sophie Morel

Sophie Morel has received several important awards for her work. In 2010, she was invited to give a special talk at the International Congress of Mathematicians. This is a huge honor for mathematicians worldwide. She spoke in the "Number Theory" section, sharing her knowledge with other experts.

In 2012, she won one of the ten prestigious prizes from the European Mathematical Society. These awards are given to young researchers who have made outstanding contributions to mathematics.

In May 2013, she was announced as the first winner of the 2014 AWM-Microsoft Research Prize in Algebra and Number Theory. This award recognizes women who have made important discoveries in algebra and number theory.

Selected Publications

Sophie Morel has written many important papers in mathematics. These papers are often published in scientific journals. They share her new ideas and discoveries with other mathematicians around the world.