Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck of the University of Texas at Austin, USA was awarded the Abel Prize 2019 by The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters “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.”

Karen K. Uhlenbeck works in the fields of geometric partial differential equations, the calculus of variations, gauge theory, topological quantum field theory, and integrable systems. Uhlenbeck developed tools and methods in global analysis, which are now in the toolbox of every geometer and analyst. Her work also lays the foundation for contemporary geometric models in mathematics and physics.

Uhlenbeck was the second woman, after Emmy Noether, to deliver a Plenary Lecture at the International Congress of Mathematicians. She is one of the founders of the Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI) at IAS and co-founder of the Institute’s Women and Mathematics program, created in 1993, which aims to recruit and empower women to lead in mathematics research at all stages of their academic careers. She is also a role model and a strong advocate for gender equality in science and mathematics.

The Abel Prize was established in 2002 on the 200th anniversary of Niels Henrik Abel’s birth, and it has been awarded to 19 laureates. It recognizes contributions to the field of mathematics that are of extraordinary depth and influence.

More information in various languages on the Abel prize website and its press release.