University of Wisconsin - Madison
Jordan Ellenberg’s new book, “Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy, and Everything Else.”, was published recently and reviewed by the New York Times. The review notes that Ellenberg is “rather spectacular” at analyzing the mathematic foundations of what we do, and how we think. The reviewer, Parul Sehgal, also noted that the …
Daniel Erman has won a Romnes Fellowship! The Romnes is viewed as one of the more significant awards here at UW–Madison. The H. I. Romnes Faculty Fellowship awards are made possible by the impressive research efforts of UW–Madison faculty and staff. Link: https://research.wisc.edu/professorships-and-faculty-fellowships/h-i-romnes-faculty-fellowships/
In a recent episode of the Marketplace podcast, a question came up about billionaires. Among several experts, Jordan Ellenberg took a stab at it, suggesting a comparison instead. “How much wealth has that person amassed relative to the sum total of everybody who works for them?” Ellenberg said. “That’s a ratio that’s much closer to …
Statement by Department Chair Timo Seppalainen and Associate Chair Benedek Valko Dear UW–Madison Math Community Yet again we find ourselves dismayed by violence against members of our society distinguished by their particular humanity. The catalogue of targeted mass atrocities over the span of just a few short years is unbelievable: gays in Orlando, Jews in …
When the pandemic forced Betsy Stovall to move her large calculus class online last spring, she wondered how it would affect her office hours, which also became entirely virtual. The answer came soon enough. “I sat there alone staring at the walls,” says Stovall, an associate professor of mathematics. “Even with in-person office hours, students …
Hung Tran has been named a Simons Fellow. The Simons Fellows program extends academic leaves from one term to a full year, enabling recipients to focus solely on research for the long periods often necessary for significant advances. The foundation is proud to support the work of distinguished scientists. Congratulations Hung!
Hao Shen and Chanwoo Kim have been awarded National Science Foundation (NSF) Career Awards. The Career awards are the NSF’s most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities …
Laurentiu Maxim has been selected as a Vilas Associate. The Vilas Associates Competition recognizes new and ongoing research of the highest quality and significance. Recipients are chosen competitively by the Divisional Research Committees of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education on the basis of a detailed proposal. Congratulations, Max!
The Atlantic published an interview by Derek Thompson with Jordan Ellenberg about politics, election forecasting, and how to think about the future like a pro. Link: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/11/election-probabilities-are-emotional-nonsense/616916/
Amanda L. Folsom, a Van Vleck at the UW from 2007-2010, will receive the 2021 Mary P. Dolciani Prize for Excellence in Research from the American Mathematical Society (AMS). Folsom is a Professor of Mathematics at Amherst College. She was awarded the prize for her outstanding record of research in analytic and algebraic number theory, …