Karen K. Uhlenbeck

Karen K. Uhlenbeck is a Professor and Sid W. Richardson Regents Chairholder in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin, part of the College of Natural Sciences. She has been a central figure in geometric analysis and mathematical physics for decades.

Her research focuses on deep connections between geometry, topology, and differential equations. Key areas include:

• Geometric Partial Differential Equations
• Gauge Theory and its applications to wave maps and nonlinear Schrödinger systems
• Integrable Systems and soliton theory
• Scale-invariant variational problems
• Virasoro algebra actions in geometry

Though specific article titles are not listed in the provided text, her recent work involves collaborations on geometric aspects of integrable systems and wave/Schrödinger maps, with papers posted on the LANL preprint server. This reflects ongoing engagement in cutting-edge research at the intersection of nonlinear PDEs and geometry.

She has received top honors in mathematics:

• National Medal of Science (awarded December 1, 2000)
• AMS Steele Prize (accepted January 2007)
• Delivered the Ritt Lectures at Columbia University (2002)
• Spoke at the Yamabe Symposium (2004)

Prof. Uhlenbeck advises graduate and undergraduate students, organizes advanced seminars in geometry/topology and Lie theory, and mentors young mathematicians—especially women—through programs she co-founded. She has led initiatives such as the mentoring program for women mathematicians at the Institute for Advanced Study and has been involved in educational outreach like the Saturday Morning Math Group (SMMG) and the Park City Mathematics Institute (PCMI).

She is a member of the Geometry, Analysis, and Dynamical Geometry (GADG) research group at UT Austin, which hosts multiple weekly seminars including GADGET (informal lunch seminar), joint math-physics seminars, and formal research talks.