Catharina Stroppel

Professor Catharina Stroppel is a distinguished researcher and educator in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Bonn, Germany. She maintains an active research program in representation theory and related fields, with significant contributions to categorification, knot theory, and higher category theory. Her office is located at Endenicher Allee 60, Room 4.007, Bonn, and she is supported by secretary Alev Erisöz-Reinke.

Stroppel's research primarily focuses on representation theory of Lie algebras, connections to topology (particularly knot and manifold invariants), categorification, and diagram algebras. Her work bridges abstract algebra with topological applications, exploring combinatorial aspects of representation theory including Schubert calculus, Kazhdan-Lusztig theory, and canonical bases. She has made substantial contributions to understanding Hecke algebras and their representation theory, as well as developing connections between categorification and topological quantum field theories.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent research trajectory advancing semi-infinite highest weight categories, geometric categorifications, and the interplay between quantum algebra and topology. The work shows increasing sophistication in handling higher categorical structures while maintaining concrete connections to classical representation theory problems. Her research has evolved from foundational work in categorification to more complex structures involving higher categories, quantum groups, and geometric interpretations.

• Indagationes Mathematicae Best Paper Prize (2022)
• Honorary Doctorate from Uppsala University
• Invited Plenary Speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians (2022)

Professor Stroppel has supervised numerous doctoral students, including current PhD candidates Jonas Nehme, Liao Wang, Lukas Bonfert, and Daniel Bermudez Montana. Her former PhD students include Till Wehrhan, Anna Mkrtchyan, Tashi Walde, Tomasz Przezdziecki, Arik Wilbert, Joanna Meinel, Hanno Becker, Antonio Sartori, Hoel Queffelec, Gisa Schaefer, and Sebastian Holzmann. She actively participates in the academic community through the Oberseminar Representation Theory (Darstellungstheorieseminar DAS), which she co-organizes with Johannes Flake, held Fridays 2:15-4pm in Endenicher Allee 60 - SR 1.008.

Stroppel leads the Algebra and Representation Theory working group in Bonn and maintains strong connections with the Hausdorff Center for Mathematics, which recently received seven additional years of funding. Her research program continues to expand, with upcoming teaching responsibilities including V4A3 Representation Theory II for the WS25/26 semester.