Teena Gerhardt named 2027 Association for Women in Mathematics Fellow
Teena Gerhardt, a professor in the Michigan State University Department of Mathematics, has been named a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics, or AWM, for 2027. She is among eight mathematicians to be recognized with the honor.
Gerhardt was selected as a Fellow for her work ranging from local involvement with the MSU student chapter of the AWM to her large-scale national service with the Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath) and the AWM, according to the award citation. She was also recognized for “outstanding and sustained service; including extensive inclusive conference organization; continued support of Women in Topology; and mentoring to women, students and early career mathematicians.”
“I am deeply honored to be named an AWM Fellow,” Gerhardt said. “The Association for Women in Mathematics has worked for decades to create a more inclusive mathematical community. To be recognized for my mentoring of early-career mathematicians, and my efforts to broaden participation in mathematics, is very meaningful to me. I have benefited from incredible mentorship throughout my career, and I strive to create that same welcoming and empowering environment for others.”
A member of the math faculty since 2010, Gerhardt credited MSU for impacting her work.
“MSU has given me the opportunity to mentor and collaborate with wonderful students and early-career researchers,” she said. “I am fortunate to work alongside colleagues who value both mathematical excellence and building a supportive community. Michigan State has been a very rewarding place to pursue research and mentor the next generation of mathematicians.”
"Teena is an outstanding mathematician and colleague. Her research, leadership, and commitment to early-career mathematicians have an impact at MSU and nationally,” said Jeffrey Schenker, professor of mathematics and department chair. “I am delighted to see her contributions recognized by the AWM.”
Gerhardt earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2007 and was promoted to professor at MSU in 2023. Her research is in algebraic topology, which is an area of mathematics which studies shapes, called topological spaces, up to continuous deformation.
Currently, Gerhardt is working on several projects in equivariant homotopy theory and algebraic K-theory. Algebraic K-theory lies at the crossroads of topology, algebraic geometry and number theory, while equivariant homotopy theory is a branch of algebraic topology which studies spaces with symmetries. These two areas interact deeply, and much of her work explores this interaction.
The AWM established the AWM Fellows Program in 2018 to recognize members who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to the support and advancement of women in the mathematical sciences, consistent with the AWM mission: “to create a community in which women and girls can thrive in their mathematical endeavors and to promote equitable opportunity and gender-inclusivity across the mathematical sciences.”
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