McLean, Va. (March 7, 2023) – The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) is pleased to announce that Jennifer Balakrishnan, PhD, (RSI ’01) the Clare Boothe Luce Associate Professor of Mathematics at Boston University, has been awarded the 2023-2024 American Mathematical Society’s Joan and Joseph Birman Fellowship for Women Scholars.
“Jennifer personifies excellence professionally and personally,” said Joann P. DiGennaro, CEE President. “The Center is so proud of her continued achievements.”
Balakrishnan earned both a magna cum laude bachelor's degree and a master's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. She earned a PhD from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her early interest in mathematics led her to compete in the 2001 International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and 2002 Science Talent Search (STS), and she became the first-ever STS finalist from Guam. She is known for her leading role in solving a Diophantine equation, coined the “cursed curve.” Balakrishnan’s pioneering contributions to computational number theory and arithmetic geometry have earned her honors, including the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award and a Sloan Research Fellowship.
Jennifer is a 2001 alum of CEE’s Research Science Institute (RSI), the most prestigious international summer research program in the world for high school students. At RSI, which is collaboratively sponsored with MIT, students conduct original, innovative research; the program emphasizes advanced theory and research in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Approximately 100 of the world’s most accomplished high school students are selected annually to participate in RSI, which is cost-free to all competitively selected students. To date, nearly 3,000 high school students representing every U.S. state and 61 nations have experienced RSI. CEE alumni benefit from networking and enrichment activities throughout their collegiate and professional careers. For more information, visit https://www.cee.org/programs/research-science-institute.
The Joan and Joseph Birman Fellowship for Women Scholars is a mid-career research fellowship specially designed to fit the unique needs of women. The fellowship seeks to address the paucity of women at the highest levels of research in mathematics by giving exceptionally talented women extra research support during their mid-career years. The award for the 2023-2024 academic year is expected to be $50,000.
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About the Center for Excellence in Education
CEE, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann P. DiGennaro, President of the Center. The Center’s mission is to nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and to encourage collaboration between and among scientific and technological leaders in the global community. CEE sponsors the Research Science Institute (RSI), USA Biolympiad (USABO), Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP), and STEM Lyceums. CEE programs are provided cost-free to participating students and teachers. For more information, visit www.cee.org.
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