Susanne Brenner facts for kids
Susanne Cecelia Brenner is an American mathematician. She studies a special way to solve math problems called the finite element method. This method helps computers find answers to complex math equations. She is a very important professor at Louisiana State University. She also helps lead a math journal called Mathematics of Computation. From 2021 to 2022, she was the President of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), which is a big group for people who use math in industry and science.
Becoming a Mathematician
Susanne Brenner went to West Chester State College for her first degree. She studied both mathematics and German there. After that, she earned a master's degree in math from SUNY Stony Brook.
She then went on to get her Ph.D. (a very high university degree) from the University of Michigan in 1988. Her special research was about "Multigrid Methods for Nonconforming Finite Elements," which is a complex way to solve math problems using computers.
Before joining Louisiana State University in 2006, she taught at Clarkson University and the University of South Carolina.
Important Work
Susanne Brenner has written many important papers and books about her math research. One of her well-known books is The Mathematical Theory of Finite Element Methods. She wrote this book with L. R. Scott. It was first published in 1994 and has been updated several times. This book helps other mathematicians learn about the finite element method.
Awards and Honors
Susanne Brenner has received many honors for her work in mathematics. She is a "fellow" of several important groups, which means she is highly respected in her field. These groups include the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, the American Mathematical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
In 2020, the Association for Women in Mathematics honored her. They recognized her for her important work in finite element methods. They also praised her for being a great role model and for helping other women in mathematics. She mentors many students, guiding them in their math studies.
She also received a special award called the Humboldt Forschungspreis (Humboldt Research Award) from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany in 2005. This award is given to top researchers from around the world.
You can even find her featured in a deck of playing cards! These cards highlight notable women mathematicians.
