Multiplicity Formulas for Orbifolds served as the title of the 1996 doctoral dissertation authored by Ana Cannas da Silva. Born in Lisbon in 1968, the Portuguese mathematician has focused her academic career on the fields of geometric topology and symplectic geometry, holding faculty and research positions at various international institutions throughout her professional life.
Academic Foundation
The educational path of Cannas da Silva began in Portugal at St. John de Britto College. She progressed to the Instituto Superior Técnico within the University of Lisbon, where she completed a licentiate degree in mathematics in 1990. Following this period, she relocated to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to undertake graduate studies. She earned a master's degree in 1994, concluding her doctoral research under the supervision of Victor Guillemin.
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Upon completing her graduate studies, she held a Morrey Assistant Professor appointment at the University of California, Berkeley. She subsequently returned to the Instituto Superior Técnico in 1997 to serve as a faculty member. By 2006, her professional reach expanded to include a senior lecturer and research scholar role at Princeton University. This dual appointment allowed her to maintain her institutional ties to the University of Lisbon simultaneously. She later transitioned to ETH Zurich in 2011.
Mathematical Contributions
Cannas da Silva has contributed to the literature of her field through several volumes. Her authored and coauthored works include Geometric Models for Noncommutative Algebras, produced with Alan Weinstein in 1999, and Lectures on Symplectic Geometry, published in 2001. She also contributed to Introduction to Symplectic and Hamiltonian Geometry in 2003 and worked on Symplectic Geometry of Integrable Hamiltonian Systems alongside Michèle Audin and Eugene Lerman during the same year.
Recognition
In 2009, her contributions to mathematics and her status as a former student were acknowledged by the alumni association of St. John de Britto College. She received the José Carlos Belchior Prize in recognition of her professional achievements.
Fast facts
- Born: 1968, Lisbon, Portugal
- Doctoral advisor: Victor Guillemin
- Doctoral thesis: Multiplicity Formulas for Orbifolds
- Key research areas: Symplectic geometry, geometric topology
- Current employer: ETH Zurich
- Spouse: Rahul Pandharipande
- Academic recognition: José Carlos Belchior Prize (2009)
Questions readers ask
Where did Ana Cannas da Silva receive her Ph.D.?
She completed her doctoral degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1996.
At which universities has she held teaching or research positions?
She has worked at the University of Lisbon, the University of California, Berkeley, Princeton University, and ETH Zurich.
Achievements
- Held posts at Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley and University of Lisbon
