Chiu-Yen Kao

Chiu-Yen Kao is the Keck Foundation Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Claremont Graduate University. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles (2004). Her research focuses on applied mathematics with an emphasis on shape optimization for eigenvalue problems, numerical methods for hyperbolic and dispersive equations, and mathematical biology. She has received notable awards including the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2009) and the IEEE Signal Processing Society’s Best Paper Award (2013).

Prof. Kao has secured multiple NSF grants, including the RUI: Geometric Optimization Involving PDEs (2022–2025) and Numerical Spectral Study of Elliptic Operators (2018–2022). Her work bridges computational methods with real-world applications, such as medical imaging and biological systems. Key research directions include extremal geometric eigenvalue problems, biomedical modeling (e.g., ciliary muscle thickness), and numerical analysis for PDEs.

• Educations: Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles (2004)

Her publications span computational approaches to optimization, spectral geometry, and medical applications. Recent work includes studies on flat tori eigenvalues, maximal population models in ecology, and therapies for anthrax treatment. She collaborates across disciplines, evidenced by co-authored papers in ophthalmology and infectious disease.

• Awards: NSF Grants, Simons Foundation Collaboration Award, IMA Recognition
• Grants: Over $1M in NSF funding for PDE optimization and numerical studies

Labs/Teams: Active in interdisciplinary research groups focusing on mathematical biology and computational PDEs. Her work is disseminated through top journals like SIAM Journals and Journal of Mathematical Biology.