The mathematics degree obtained from Sapienza University of Rome in 1971 marked the beginning of a long career for Corrado de Concini. Born in Rome in 1949, he subsequently earned a Ph.D. from the University of Warwick in 1975 under the supervision of George Lusztig, specializing in the cohomology of orthogonal groups over finite fields.
Academic Appointments and Research
De Concini began his teaching career as a lecturer at the University of Salerno in 1975, moving to an associate professorship at the University of Pisa in 1976. By 1983, he held a chair in higher algebra at the University of Rome. His tenure included a significant period at the Scuola Normale Superiore from 1988 to 1996, followed by a long appointment at Sapienza University of Rome, where he served until 2019 and remains an emeritus professor. Throughout his career, he maintained international research affiliations as a visiting scientist at institutions including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques.
Scientific Contributions and Recognition
His research focuses on algebraic geometry, invariant theory, quantum groups, and mathematical physics. He gained international prominence as an invited speaker at the 1986 International Congress of Mathematicians in Berkeley, where he presented on equivariant embeddings of homogeneous spaces. In 1992, he delivered a plenary lecture at the first European Congress of Mathematicians in Paris regarding the representations of quantum groups at roots of unity. His contributions were formally recognized with the Caccioppoli Prize in 1986 and the Mathematical Prize of the Italian Academy of Sciences in 1990.
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De Concini has held several leadership positions within the Italian scientific community. He served as the president of the Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica Francesco Severi between 2003 and 2007. Later, he served as the president of the Accademia delle Scienze detta dei XL from 2021 to 2025. He is a member of the Academia Europaea and has been a full member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei since 2009, having previously served as a corresponding member starting in 1993.
Selected Publications
His scholarly output includes collaborative works that explore hyperplane arrangements, polytopes, and representation theory. Notable publications include the 2010 volume Topics in Hyperplane Arrangements, Polytopes and Box-Splines, co-authored with Claudio Procesi. He also contributed to the 1993 collection D-modules, representation theory, and quantum groups, which further solidified his expertise in the intersection of algebra and physics.
Fast facts
- Born: 1949, Rome
- Ph.D.: University of Warwick, 1975
- Primary Field: Algebraic geometry and quantum groups
- Caccioppoli Prize: 1986
- Italian Academy of Sciences Prize: 1990
- President, Istituto Nazionale di Alta Matematica: 2003-2007
- President, Accademia delle Scienze detta dei XL: 2021-2025
- Member: Academia Europaea; Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei
Questions readers ask
Where did Corrado de Concini study?
He earned his mathematics degree at Sapienza University of Rome and his Ph.D. at the University of Warwick.
What subjects does he research?
His work covers algebraic geometry, invariant theory, quantum groups, and mathematical physics.
Is he still active in academia?
Yes, he is currently an emeritus professor at Sapienza University of Rome.
Achievements
- Caccioppoli Prize — 1986
- Mathematical Prize of the Italian Academy of Sciences — 1990
- Held posts at Sapienza University of Rome, Scuola Normale Superiore and University of Pisa
