Sarah Colleen Koch (born 1979) is an American mathematician, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Mathematics at the
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
. Her research interests include
complex analysis
Complex analysis, traditionally known as the theory of functions of a complex variable, is the branch of mathematical analysis that investigates functions of complex numbers. It is helpful in many branches of mathematics, including algebraic ...
,
complex dynamics
Complex dynamics, or holomorphic dynamics, is the study of dynamical systems obtained by Iterated function, iterating a complex analytic mapping. This article focuses on the case of algebraic dynamics, where a polynomial or rational function is it ...
, and
Teichmüller theory
Teichmüller is a German surname (German for ''pond miller'') and may refer to:
* Anna Teichmüller (1861–1940), German composer
* :de:Frank Teichmüller (19?? – now), former German IG Metall district manager "coast"
* Gustav Teichmüller (1 ...
.
Education and career
Koch was born and educated in
Concord, New Hampshire
Concord () is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Hampshire and the county seat, seat of Merrimack County, New Hampshire, Merrimack County. As of the 2020 United States census the population was 43,976, making it the List of municipalities ...
, with summers in
Wilmington, Vermont
Wilmington is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,255 at the 2020 census.
History
The town was chartered in 1751 by Benning Wentworth, colonial governor of New Hampshire. It was named in honor of Spencer Comp ...
. She went to the
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (; RPI) is a private university, private research university in Troy, New York, United States. It is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking world and the Western Hemisphere. It was establishe ...
, initially studying chemistry but soon switching to mathematics; she graduated in 2001. Next, she went to
Cornell University
Cornell University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university based in Ithaca, New York, United States. The university was co-founded by American philanthropist Ezra Cornell and historian and educator Andrew Dickson W ...
for graduate study in mathematics, earning a master's degree in 2005, and completed her studies with a double Ph.D., supervised by
John H. Hubbard: a doctorate from the
University of Provence
The University of Provence Aix-Marseille I () was a Public university, public research university mostly located in Aix-en-Provence and Marseille. It was one of the three University of Aix-Marseille, Universities of Aix-Marseille and was part of t ...
in 2007 with the dissertation ''La Théorie de Teichmüller et ses applications aux endomorphismes de
'', and a doctorate from Cornell in 2008 with the dissertation ''A New Link between Teichmüller Theory and Complex Dynamics''.
She became a postdoctoral researcher as a
National Science Foundation
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...
postdoctoral fellow at the
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick ( ; abbreviated as ''Warw.'' in post-nominal letters) is a public research university on the outskirts of Coventry between the West Midlands and Warwickshire, England. The university was founded in 1965 as part of ...
and
Harvard University
Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...
; at Harvard, her postdoctoral mentor was
Curtis T. McMullen
Curtis Tracy McMullen (born May 21, 1958) is an American mathematician who is the Cabot Professor of Mathematics at Harvard University. He was awarded the Fields Medal in 1998 for his work in complex dynamics, hyperbolic geometry and Teichmülle ...
. She stayed at Harvard as Benjamin Peirce Assistant Professor from 2010 to 2013. She moved to the University of Michigan in 2013, became an associate professor in 2016, and was promoted to full professor in 2021, at the same time being named as the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor.
Recognition
The University of Michigan gave Koch the 2016 Class of 1923 Memorial Teaching Award in 2016 and the 2020 Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award.
Koch was the recipient of the 2021 Distinguished University Teaching of Mathematics Award of the Michigan Section of the
Mathematical Association of America
The Mathematical Association of America (MAA) is a professional society that focuses on mathematics accessible at the undergraduate level. Members include university
A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary edu ...
. She was a 2023 recipient of one of the
, recognizing her classroom teaching, her support of mathematics students from underrepresented groups, and her efforts to bring mathematics to middle schoolers from underserved African-American communities in
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's popu ...
.
References
External links
Home page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koch, Sarah
1979 births
Living people
American mathematicians
21st-century American women mathematicians
21st-century American mathematicians
American mathematical analysts
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni
Cornell University alumni
University of Provence alumni
Harvard University faculty
University of Michigan faculty