Emmy Noether Lectures

The lectures honor Emmy Noether (1882 – 1935), one of the great mathematicians of her time. She worked and struggled for what she loved and believed in. Her life and work remain a tremendous inspiration.

AWM established the Emmy Noether Lectures in 1980 to honor women who have made fundamental and sustained contributions to the mathematical sciences.  In April 2013 the lecture was renamed “AWM-AMS Noether Lecture” and in 2015 was jointly sponsored by AWM and AMS. These one-hour expository lectures are presented at the Joint Mathematics Meetings each January.

Nomination Period: August 1 – September 15

Nomination Location: All nominations can be made at MathPrograms.org. To locate the nomination form in MathPrograms, click on  “View Programs” at the top right of the page. Scroll down to the programs listed for “Association for Women in Mathematics” and click “Nominate” next to the AWM-AMS Noether Lecture.

Nominator: Any person can be a nominator! People of any gender can be a nominator, self nominations are allowed, and you do not need to be an AWM member to nominate someone for this award. If this is a self-nomination, then you must have one additional letter of support.

Nomination Packet: A nomination packet should be complied into 1 PDF for submission and include:

  • A letter of nomination that
    • outlines the nominee’s contributions to mathematics,
    • lists four of their most important papers,
    • and provides other relevant information;
  • A curriculum vitae of the candidate not to exceed three pages.

All submitted materials become the property of the AWM.

Note: The letter of nomination is not required to be from an expert in the same field of mathematics as the nominee. However, including a letter of support from an expert in the same field as the nominee (in addition to the nomination statement when needed), creates a stronger application as it provides more context for the nominee’s mathematical contributions.

Award Criteria: This lecture will happen annually to honor women who have made fundamental and sustained contributions to the mathematical sciences.  

Nominee Requirements. The award is open to all regardless of nationality and citizenship. Nominees must be living at the time of their nomination. Nominations of women from underrepresented minorities are especially encouraged. The committee may seek out and consider other excellent candidates. 

Presentation of Award. The lecture will be given at the Joint Mathematics Meetings each January. The recipient will receive a $1000 prize, a certificate, and will be featured in an article in the AWM Newsletter.

At the request of the nominator, nominations can remain active for two additional years, and the nominator can update the application materials.

2024  Anne Schilling
2023  Laura DeMarco
2022  Marianna Csörnyei
2020  Birgit Speh
2019   Bryna Kra
2018   Jill Pipher

2018* Sun-Yung Alice Chang, ICM
2017   Lisa Jeffrey
2016   Karen Smith
2015   Wen-Ching Winnie Li
2014   Georgia Benkart

2014* Georgia Benkart, ICM
2013   Raman Parimala
2012   Barbara Keyfitz
2011   Susan Montgomery
2010   Carolyn Gordon
2010*  Idun Reiten, ICM
2009   Fan Chung Graham
2008   Audrey A. Terras
2007   Karen Vogtmann
2006   Ingrid Daubechies
2006*  Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat, ICM
2005   Lai-Sang Young
2004   Svetlana Katok
2003   Jean E. Taylor
2002   Lenore Blum
2002*  Hesheng Hu, ICM
2001    Sun-Yung Alice Chang
2000   Margaret H. Wright
1999   Krystyna M. Kuperberg
1998*  Cathleen Synge Morawetz, ICM
1998   Dusa McDuff
1997   Linda Preiss Rothschild
1996   Ol’ga Oleinik
1995   Judith D. Sally
1994   Lesley Sibner
1994*  Ol’ga Ladyzhenskaya, ICM
1993   Linda Keen
1992   Nancy Kopell
1991   Alexandra Bellow
1990   Bhama Srinivasan
1989   Mary F. Wheeler
1988   Karen K. Uhlenbeck
1987   Joan S. Birman
1986   Yvonne Choquet-Bruhat
1985   Jane Cronin Scanlon
1984   Mary Ellen Rudin
1983   Cathleen S. Morawetz
1982   Julia Robinson
1981   Olga Taussky-Todd
1980   F. Jessie MacWilliams
*The ICM Emmy Noether Lecture at the International Congress of Mathematics

Questions? Call 401-455-4042 or email awm@awm-math.org.