Maryam Mirzakhani was an Iranian mathematician who made groundbreaking contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the study of complex surfaces and geometry. On May 3rd, we celebrated what would have been her 44th birthday, and it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on her legacy and the impact she had on the mathematics community.
Born in Tehran in 1977, Maryam wasa gifted student from an early age. She excelled in mathematics and went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, followed by a PhD in mathematics from Harvard University in 2004. She was a professor at Stanford University from 2008 until her untimely death in 2017 at the age of 40.
Maryam is best known for her work on hyperbolic surfaces, which are surfaces with a constant negative curvature. In 2014, she was awarded the Fields Medal, which is considered the highest honor in mathematics, for her contributions to the study of moduli spaces of Riemann surfaces. This made her the first woman and the first Iranian to receive the award.
Maryam’s work was characterized by a deep understanding of the geometry of complex surfaces. She used innovative techniques to study the moduli space of Riemann surfaces, which are complex surfaces that are analogous to the surface of a sphere. Her work on this subject had significant implications for both mathematics and physics, particularly in the study of string theory.
Beyond her contributions to mathematics, Maryam was also an inspiration to many for her perseverance and dedication. She faced many challenges as a woman in a male-dominated field, and as an Iranian in a world where anti-Iranian sentiment was prevalent. Despite these obstacles, she remained committed to her work and continued to make groundbreaking contributions to the field of mathematics.
In 2017, Maryam passed away after a battle with breast cancer. Her death was a great loss to the mathematics community, but her legacy lives on through her work and the many students she inspired. She continues to be a role model for aspiring mathematicians, particularly women and underrepresented minorities in the field.
As we celebrate Maryam’s birthday, we should take a moment to reflect on her contributions to mathematics and the barriers she broke down. Her legacy reminds us of the importance of supporting and encouraging diversity in the mathematics community, and of the power of perseverance and dedication in pursuing our passions.