Chikako Mese

Chikako Mese is a Full Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), part of the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences. She served as Department Chair (2008-2011) and Director of the Graduate Program (2014-2017, 2018-2019). Her research focuses on differential geometry and geometric analysis, with contributions to harmonic maps, Teichmüller theory, and CAT(k) spaces. She holds a PhD from Stanford University (1996), advised by Richard Schoen.

Education:

• PhD in Mathematics, Stanford University, 1996
• M.S., Stanford University, 1993
• B.S. in Mathematics & Physics, University of Dayton, 1991 (Summa Cum Laude)

Research Interests: Mese explores geometric structures in singular spaces, harmonic maps, and applications to Teichmüller theory. Her work bridges differential geometry with analysis of metric spaces, addressing questions of rigidity, regularity, and variational problems. Notable areas include CAT(k) spaces, minimal surfaces, and Higgs bundles in geometric group theory.

Grants & Awards:

• Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (AMS)
• Simons Fellowship (2017-2018)
• Multiple NSF DMS grants (2003–2023) for geometric analysis research
• Woodrow Wilson Career Enhancement Fellowship (2001-2002)

Advising & Mentoring: Mese has advised doctoral students including Benjamin Dees (current), Duncan Sinclair (2014), Jonathan Dahl (2010), and Patrick Zulkowski (2009). She mentors junior faculty and leads research groups in minimal submanifolds at workshops like the Women in Geometry series (Banff 2015, Oaxaca 2019).

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with leading institutions globally (e.g., Brown University, CNRS, Tohoku University) on projects involving geometric rigidity, harmonic maps, and moduli spaces. Active in editorial roles, including Notices of the AMS.