Allen Ivar Knutson earned a world record for passing 12 balls alongside David Morton while attending the California Institute of Technology. Beyond his involvement in circus performance, he maintains a professional career as a mathematician. Born in 1969, his work spans the fields of applied mathematics, notably focusing on honeycomb models and the structures of Hermitian matrices.
Academic Formation
Knutson attended Stuyvesant High School before pursuing his undergraduate studies at the California Institute of Technology. He completed his formal education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a Ph.D. in 1996. His doctoral research was conducted under the joint supervision of Victor Guillemin and Lisa Jeffrey.
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The mathematician held faculty positions at the University of California, Berkeley early in his career. In 2005, he transitioned to the University of California, San Diego. Since 2009, he has served as a professor of mathematics at Cornell University, where he continues his research and teaching.
Mathematical Contributions
In 2005, the American Mathematical Society awarded Knutson and Terence Tao the Levi L. Conant Prize for their collaborative paper titled 'Honeycombs and Sums of Hermitian Matrices'. His research output earned him recognition as an invited speaker at the 2022 International Congress of Mathematicians.
Background
He is the son of Donald Ivar Knutson, who worked as an American mathematician and a financial executive for CBS. Throughout his adult life, Knutson has integrated his academic interests with the study of the mathematics of juggling, a discipline he practiced competitively for five years beginning in 1990.
Fast facts
- Born: 1969
- Education: California Institute of Technology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Current employer: Cornell University
- Previous employers: University of California, Berkeley; University of California, San Diego
- Award: Levi L. Conant Prize, 2005
- Research sub-field: Applied mathematics
- Notable interest: Mathematics of juggling
Questions readers ask
Where did Allen Knutson receive his Ph.D.?
He earned his Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1996.
What recognition did he receive for his work on Hermitian matrices?
He and Terence Tao were awarded the Levi L. Conant Prize in 2005 for their paper on honeycombs and Hermitian matrices.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of California, Berkeley, Cornell University and University of California, San Diego
