Stephanie B. Alexander facts for kids

Stephanie Brewster Brewer Taylor Alexander was an American mathematician. She was a special professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Her work focused on understanding shapes, curves, and distances using math. She passed away on November 20, 2023.

Becoming a Math Professor

Stephanie Alexander loved studying math. She earned a special degree called a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1967. For her Ph.D., she wrote a big research paper. It was about complex math ideas related to shapes.

After finishing her studies, she started teaching at the University of Illinois. She became a full-time professor in 1972. She taught many students until she retired in 2009.

Writing Math Books

Stephanie Alexander also wrote a math book. It was called An Invitation to Alexandrov Geometry: CAT(0) Spaces. She wrote it with Vitali Kapovitch and Anton Petrunin. This book helps people learn about a special type of geometry. It explores how distances and shapes work in different spaces.

Awards and Recognition

Stephanie Alexander was a very respected teacher. At the University of Illinois, she won two important awards in 1993. These were the Luckman Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award and the William Prokasy Award. Both awards honored her excellent teaching skills.

In 2014, she received another big honor. She was chosen as a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This means she was recognized for her important work in geometry. She was also praised for explaining math clearly and for being an amazing teacher.