Zvezdelina Stankova facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zvezdelina Entcheva Stankova
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Stankova in 2012
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| Born | 15 September 1969 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Bryn Mawr College Harvard University |
| Known for | Skew-merged permutation Studying permutations with forbidden subsequences Establishing math circles |
| Awards | Alice T. Schafer Prize (1992) Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award (2011) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Mathematics |
| Institutions | Mills College University of California, Berkeley |
| Doctoral advisor | Joe Harris |
Zvezdelina Entcheva Stankova, born on September 15, 1969, is an American mathematician. She is a professor of mathematics at Mills College and also teaches at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Stankova is well-known for starting the Berkeley Math Circle. She is also an expert in studying how to count different arrangements of numbers, especially those with certain "forbidden patterns."
Contents
About Zvezdelina Stankova
Early Life and Education
Zvezdelina Stankova was born in Ruse, Bulgaria. When she was in fifth grade, she joined the Ruse Math Circle. This was a special club where kids learned about math in fun ways. In the same year, she learned to solve the Rubik's Cube and started winning math contests in her area. She later said that being part of the Ruse Math Circle helped her achieve great things in mathematics.
She went to an excellent English-language high school. She was so good at math that she represented Bulgaria in the International Mathematical Olympiad in 1987 and 1988. She won silver medals both times!
After high school, she started studying at Sofia University in Bulgaria. In 1989, when big changes were happening in Eastern Europe, she was one of only 15 Bulgarian students chosen to go to the United States to finish their studies.
College and University Studies
Dr. Stankova attended Bryn Mawr College in the U.S. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees there in 1992. While she was an undergraduate, she took part in a summer research program. This program sparked her interest in "permutation patterns," which are special ways numbers can be arranged.
Next, she went to Harvard University for her advanced studies. She earned her Ph.D. in mathematics in 1997. Her main research was about complex mathematical shapes called "Moduli of Trigonal Curves."
Teaching and Career
After getting her Ph.D., Dr. Stankova worked at the University of California, Berkeley. She was an assistant professor there. In 1999, she joined the faculty at Mills College. She still teaches one course each year as a visiting professor at Berkeley. She also helps guide the Proof School in San Francisco, which is a school focused on math.
Key Contributions to Mathematics
Permutation Patterns Research
Dr. Stankova is famous in the world of permutation patterns. Imagine you have a sequence of numbers, like 1, 2, 3, 4. A "permutation pattern" is a smaller sequence that can be found within a larger one. Dr. Stankova proved that the number of ways to arrange numbers that avoid the pattern 1342 is the same as the number of ways to arrange numbers that avoid the pattern 2413. This was a very important discovery for understanding these patterns.
Founding Math Circles
In 1998, Dr. Stankova started the Berkeley Math Circle. This is an after-school program that helps students learn more about mathematics. She created it based on her own positive experiences learning math in Bulgaria. The Berkeley Math Circle was only the second one of its kind in the U.S. (the first was in Boston). Because it was so successful, more than 100 other math circles have been created across the country. Dr. Stankova has helped many of them get started.
Other Math Initiatives
Also in 1998, she founded the Bay Area Mathematical Olympiad. This is a competition for students who love math. For six years, she was a coach for the U.S. team that competed in the International Mathematical Olympiad.
Since 2013, Dr. Stankova has appeared in several videos on "Numberphile," a popular YouTube channel about mathematics. These videos help explain complex math ideas to a wider audience.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Stankova has received many awards for her amazing work in mathematics and teaching.
- In 1992, she won the Alice T. Schafer Prize from the Association for Women in Mathematics. This was for her research on permutation patterns when she was still an undergraduate student.
- In 2004, she was one of the first two people to win the Henry L. Alder Award. This award recognizes excellent teaching by new college math professors.
- In 2011, Dr. Stankova received the Deborah and Franklin Tepper Haimo Award. This award is given by the Mathematical Association of America. She won it for her outstanding teaching, for guiding and inspiring students, and for leading the development of Math Circles and encouraging participation in math competitions.
- From 2009 to 2012, she held a special teaching position as the Frederick A. Rice Professor of Mathematics at Mills College.
See also
In Spanish: Zvezdelina Stankova para niños
