Maryam Mirzakhani

Maryam Mirzakhani
Mirzakhani in 2014
Born(1977-05-12)12 May 1977[3] 22 Ordibehesht 1356[4]
Tehran, Iran
Died14 July 2017(2017-07-14) (aged 40)
Stanford, California, U.S.
Education
Spouse
​
(m. 2008)​
Children1
Awards
Scientific career
FieldsMathematics
Institutions
ThesisSimple geodesics on hyperbolic surfaces and the volume of the moduli space of curves (2004)
Doctoral advisorCurtis T. McMullen[1]
Other academic advisorsSiavash Shahshahani, Ebadollah S. Mahmoodian[2]

Maryam Mirzakhani (Persian: مریم میرزاخانی, pronounced [mæɾˈjæm miːɾzɑːxɑːˈniː]; 12 May 1977 – 14 July 2017) was an Iranian[5][4] mathematician and a professor of mathematics at Stanford University.[6][7] Her research topics included Teichmüller theory, hyperbolic geometry, ergodic theory, and symplectic geometry.[5] On 13 August 2014, Mirzakhani was honored with the Fields Medal, the most prestigious award in mathematics,[8][9] becoming the first woman to win the prize, as well as the first Iranian.[10] The award committee cited her work in "the dynamics and geometry of Riemann surfaces and their moduli spaces".[11]

Throughout her career, Maryam Mirzakhani achieved remarkable milestones that cemented her reputation as one of the most brilliant mathematicians of her time. After completing her PhD at Harvard University in 2004, she became a research fellow at the Clay Mathematics Institute and later joined Princeton University as a professor. In 2009, she moved to Stanford University, where she continued her pioneering research until her death. Mirzakhani's work focused on the intricate and complex dynamics of geometric structures, with particular emphasis on moduli spaces and Riemann surfaces. Her innovative approaches and profound insights significantly advanced the field, earning her widespread acclaim and recognition, including the Fields Medal, the highest honor in mathematics.[8]

Born and raised in Tehran, Mirzakhani's passion for mathematics began at a young age. She earned her undergraduate degree from Sharif University of Technology and went on to pursue her PhD at Harvard University under the mentorship of Fields Medalist Curtis T. McMullen. Her academic journey led her to positions at Princeton University and Stanford University, where she became a full professor in 2009. Despite her death at the age of 40 due to breast cancer,[12] her legacy endures through numerous accolades in her honor, including the Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize and the 12 May Initiative, both dedicated to promoting women in mathematics.

  1. ^ Jonathan, Webb (2014). "First female winner for Fields maths medal". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  2. ^ "Private Funeral of Professor Mirzakhani to be held in the United States", Iranian Students News Agency (in Persian), 19 July 2017, 96042715699, archived from the original on 20 July 2017, retrieved 19 July 2017
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference mactutor was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b وبسایت رسمی مریم میرزاخانی. mmirzakhani.com (in Persian). Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  5. ^ a b Mirzakhani, Maryam. "Curriculum Vitae" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 November 2005. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  6. ^ Mirzakhani, Maryam (2007). "Weil-Petersson volumes and intersection theory on the moduli space of curves" (PDF). Journal of the American Mathematical Society. 20 (1): 1–23. Bibcode:2007JAMS...20....1M. doi:10.1090/S0894-0347-06-00526-1. MR 2257394. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2015.
  7. ^ Mirzakhani, Maryam (January 2007). "Simple geodesics and Weil-Petersson volumes of moduli spaces of bordered Riemann surfaces". Inventiones Mathematicae. 167 (1): 179–222. Bibcode:2006InMat.167..179M. doi:10.1007/s00222-006-0013-2. ISSN 1432-1297. S2CID 44008647.
  8. ^ a b "President Rouhani Congratulates Iranian Woman for Winning Math Nobel Prize". Fars News Agency. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 14 August 2014. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  9. ^ "IMU Prizes 2014". International Mathematical Union. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2014.
  10. ^ Dehghan, Saeed Kamali (16 July 2017). "Maryam Mirzakhani: Iranian newspapers break hijab taboo in tributes". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  11. ^ Sample, Ian (13 August 2014). "Fields Medal mathematics prize won by woman for first time in its history". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  12. ^ "Maryam Mirzakhani's Pioneering Mathematical Legacy". The New Yorker. 17 July 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.