Karen Uhlenbeck Receives The Abel Prize for Mathematics
By lucy cai and erin mccann
The Abel Prize for Mathematics is one of the most prestigious and coveted accolades in mathematics, colloquially referred to as “the Nobel Prize of math.” A few weeks ago, Karen Uhlenbeck, a professor emerita at The University of Texas Austin, won the award, making her the first woman among past male laureates. The Abel Prize Committee awarded her the prize “for her pioneering achievements in geometric partial differential equations, gauge theory and integrable systems, and for the fundamental impact of her work on analysis, geometry and mathematical physics.”
Professor Uhlenbeck is currently a visiting researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton, NJ. Her achievements have not only shaped the field of mathematics in terms of how we think about math, but also in terms of the gender composition of a male dominated field. In 2002, she co-founded the IAS Women and Mathematics program (WAM) with fellow IAS Member Chuu-Lian Terng. In a note about the program, she writes: “This program is an effort to address [the] gender imbalance. In accordance with the principle that mathematics should be inclusive, not exclusive, the activities of the program are open to all, regardless of age and gender.” To date, they have mentored hundreds of women through the program, building a network of 1,500 participants.
Professor Uhlenbeck’s work mainly focuses on the areas of minimal surfaces and gauge theory. Minimal surfaces are a part of a branch of mathematics called differential geometry, which combines calculus and geometry to study the behaviors of surfaces in different dimensions. Her paper on minimal surfaces, published in the early 1980’s, pioneered an entirely new field of mathematics now known as “geometric analysis.” Gauge theories are part of a branch of physics called quantum field theory, which explores the interactions between subatomic particles and states that in essence, the behavior of particles should not change based on your perspective of them.
We were privileged enough to get in contact with Professor Uhlenbeck while writing this article. Below are answers to a few questions we asked her:
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How was your journey as a mathematician influenced by a lack of (or a presence of) female role models?
“I come from a line of strong women on my mother's side. My mother was an artist, who made sure to paint on Thursday's in the middle of a week spent on domestic chores. Also, when I was growing up there were a series of mostly orange biographies of great men, which included a few women. I also developed a sort of heroine worship of Virginia Woolf. There was a lot written by and about her. I have several times already mentioned that when I was in graduate school, I watched the cooking shows of Julia Child. There was no shortage of women role models, just no immediate ones in mathematics. And you know, I never noticed that my math brain wasn't as good or better than that of my male peers, and ignored those who said it wasn't.”
2. What can high schoolers do to prepare themselves for research at a high level?
“Get interested and stay interested in as many things as you can. Learn everything you can. Don't let messy details of ordinary life get in the way of doing what is interesting and useful.”
3. What advice do you have for aspiring female mathematicians, and other females interested in STEM related professions?
“I am not sure I have any different advice to give women or men, whether they are doing math or writing novels. One thing is to get lots of advice, then follow that which makes sense to you, and seems to fit your personality. People are all different, and your goal is to somehow match yourself with doing something worthwhile. Don't get sidetracked into thinking you have to go to the best school, or get the best grades, or know all the right people to become good at what you want to do.”
It was an honor and a privilege to receive advice from Professor Uhlenbeck. She has been a role model and mentor to anyone entering the field of mathematics, women and men alike. In her comments, she urges students to find what they are interested in, and pursue it passionately. Her self-prescribed ”math brain” and passion for mathematics have lead her to a successful and rewarding career.