Laura Schaposnik, Old Member and former Visiting Fellow, honoured with award by President Biden
Laura Schaposnik, Old Member and former Visiting Fellow, has been awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) by President Biden, the highest honour bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers. Established by President Clinton in 1996, PECASE recognises innovative developments in science and technology, celebrating scientists and engineers who show exceptional potential for leadership early in their research careers.
Laura expressed her gratitude at receiving the Presidential award:
Receiving the PECASE award is both an incredible honor and a tremendous motivator. For me, it reaffirms the importance research in geometry, and its connections to other fields. It also highlights the value of collaboration and mentorship, as these have been constant components of my research in the last decade. I hope the recognition will mean new opportunities to expand projects, attract additional funding, and deepen our international partnerships—all of which benefits our students, the department, and the broader mathematical community.
Laura completed her DPhil at New College between 2008 and 2013, during which she was also a Maths Tutor, and returned to the college as a Visiting Fellow in 2018. Reflecting on her time in Oxford, she spoke of New College's importance in encouraging her to persevere and embrace the challenges of an academic career:
New College was the perfect community to begin my research career. As a DPhil student, I had the privilege of working under the guidance of Nigel Hitchin, whose mentorship shaped not only my understanding of mathematics but also my perspective on academia. At the same time, Victor Flynn took me under his wing, training me as a tutor and later as a lecturer from my very first days at Oxford. This early exposure to teaching laid the foundation for what has become one of the most enjoyable aspects of my professional journey. New College has been a cornerstone of my academic and personal journey, and I hope it continues to play a central role in our family for generations to come.
Laura is currently a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where her research focuses on the study of geometric properties of different spaces. Within her teaching and research, she has tackled a range of questions involving moduli spaces, Higgs bundles, and their links to theoretical physics and integrable systems. At UIC, she works with students in a mentorship role, appreciating seeing students grow in confidence: 'Knowing I can help shape their academic journey and spark a passion for mathematics is truly a privilege'. Her work has appeared in the Journal of Differential Geometry, Transactions of the AMS, Communications in Mathematical Physics, Advances in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics, Proceedings of the Royal Society A, among other journals.
Find out more about Laura's interests and research here
Find out more about the PECASE here