Partial differential equations provide the mathematical framework for Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb’s research into digital image restoration and analysis. Born in 1979 in Vienna, Austria, she has established a career centered on the intersection of theoretical mathematics and computational applications. Her work frequently focuses on methods for image inpainting, a process that repairs gaps within digital data.
Academic Background
Schönlieb completed her initial mathematical studies at the University of Salzburg, receiving a master’s degree in 2004. She moved to the University of Cambridge for her doctoral research, where she completed her Ph.D. in 2009. Her dissertation, titled Modern PDE Techniques for Image Inpainting, was supervised by Peter Markowich. Following this, she undertook postdoctoral research at the University of Göttingen between 2009 and 2010 before returning to the University of Cambridge to take a lecturer position.
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At the University of Cambridge, Schönlieb holds the position of Professor of Applied Mathematics within the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. She is a Fellow of Jesus College and serves as the Director of the Cantab Capital Institute for the Mathematics of Information. Additionally, she is a co-director of the Centre for Mathematical Imaging in Healthcare. Since 2016, she has served as a Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute, further integrating her expertise into broader computational research networks.
Professional Recognition
Her academic output includes the 2015 text Partial Differential Equation Methods for Image Inpainting, published by Cambridge University Press. Her contributions to the field of image analysis were formally acknowledged by the London Mathematical Society with the Whitehead Prize in 2016. In 2017, she received the Philip Leverhulme Prize. She was later honored as the 2018 Mary Cartwright Lecturer. In 2022, the University of Klagenfurt awarded her an honorary doctorate.
Professional Affiliations
Schönlieb maintains active involvement with the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, serving as a member of the organization. Her leadership within the international mathematical community was further solidified when she was selected as part of the 2024 class of fellows for the society.
Fast facts
- Born: 1979, Vienna, Austria
- Field of work: Image processing and theory of differential equations
- Ph.D.: University of Cambridge, 2009
- Awards: Whitehead Prize (2016), Philip Leverhulme Prize (2017)
- Languages: German and English
- Current Position: Professor of Applied Mathematics, University of Cambridge
Questions readers ask
What is the focus of Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb's research?
She specializes in image processing, the theory of differential equations, and computer image analysis.
Where did she complete her university education?
She earned a master's degree from the University of Salzburg in 2004 and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 2009.
Achievements
- Whitehead Prize — 2016
- Philip Leverhulme Prize — 2017
- Held posts at University of Cambridge and University of Göttingen
- Fields: image processing, theory of differential equations and computer image analysis
