Dorette Pronk
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Dorothea Ariette (Dorette) Pronk (born 1968) is a Dutch and Canadian mathematician specializing in
category theory Category theory is a general theory of mathematical structures and their relations. It was introduced by Samuel Eilenberg and Saunders Mac Lane in the middle of the 20th century in their foundational work on algebraic topology. Category theory ...
and categorical approaches to differentiation. She is a professor of mathematics at
Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...
. As well as for her research, she is also known for her work promoting
mathematics competitions Mathematics competitions or mathematical olympiads are competitive events where participants complete a mathematics, math test. These tests may require multiple choice or numeric answers, or a detailed written solution or proof. International mat ...
in Canada.


Education and career

Pronk is originally from
Rotterdam Rotterdam ( , ; ; ) is the second-largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city in the Netherlands after the national capital of Amsterdam. It is in the Provinces of the Netherlands, province of South Holland, part of the North S ...
. She became a mathematics student at
Utrecht University Utrecht University (UU; , formerly ''Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht'') is a public university, public research university in Utrecht, Netherlands. Established , it is one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. In 2023, it had an enrollment of ...
in The Netherlands, where she earned a master's degree in 1991 and completed her Ph.D. in 1995. Her doctoral dissertation, ''Groupoid Representations for Sheaves on Orbifolds'', was jointly promoted by Dirk van Dalen and
Ieke Moerdijk Izak "Ieke" Moerdijk (; born 23 January 1958) is a Dutch mathematician, currently working at Utrecht University, who in 2012 won the Spinoza Prize. Education and career Moerdijk studied mathematics, philosophy and general linguistics at the Uni ...
. She took a faculty position at
Dalhousie University Dalhousie University (commonly known as Dal) is a large public research university in Nova Scotia, Canada, with three campuses in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, a fourth in Bible Hill, Nova Scotia, Bible Hill, and a second medical school campus ...
in 2000, after previously being a postdoctoral researcher there. She is a professor of mathematics at Dalhousie. Pronk began working in mathematics competitions as an observer for the Canadian team at the 1998 and 1999
International Mathematical Olympiad The International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) is a mathematical olympiad for pre-university students, and is the oldest of the International Science Olympiads. It is widely regarded as the most prestigious mathematical competition in the wor ...
s. She chaired Canada's committee on the IMO from 2014 to 2015, the mathematical competitions committee of the
Canadian Mathematical Society The Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS; French: ''Société mathématique du Canada'') is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to advancing mathematical research, outreach, scholarship and education in Canada. The Society se ...
beginning in 2016, and Canada's committee on the European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad since 2018. She has also served as a leader of Canada's mathematics team. At Dalhousie, she has organized a mathematics challenge club and
Math circle A math circle is an extracurricular activity intended to enrich students' understanding of mathematics. The concept of math circle came into being in the erstwhile USSR and Bulgaria, around 1907, with the very successful mission to "discover futu ...
s focused both on Nova Scotia students and on First Nations students.


Recognition

Pronk was the 2023 recipient of the Graham Wright Award for Distinguished Service of the Canadian Mathematical Society. In the same year she was named as a Fellow of the Canadian Mathematical Society.


Personal life

Pronk was raised in a strict denomination of Reformed (Calvinist) Christianity in the Netherlands. After resisting the call because of her strict background, she has been participating in messianic dance through All Nations Christian Reformed Church in
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
since 2002.


References


External links

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Dorette Pronk in nLab
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pronk, Dorette 1968 births Living people Scientists from Rotterdam Canadian mathematicians Canadian women mathematicians Dutch mathematicians Dutch women mathematicians Category theorists Utrecht University alumni Academic staff of Dalhousie University Fellows of the Canadian Mathematical Society