Klaus Hulek is a German mathematician whose research in algebraic geometry has focused on moduli spaces, vector bundles, and the arithmetic of Calabi-Yau varieties. Born in 1952 in Bad Hindelang, he built an extensive academic career through institutions in Germany and abroad, contributing to the development of geometry and topology as a researcher, editor, and administrator.
Academic Training and Early Research
Beginning his studies at LMU Munich in 1971, Hulek graduated with a Diplom in 1976. During this period, he was a member of the Stiftung Maximilianeum and the German Academic Scholarship Foundation. He also completed a master's degree at Brasenose College, University of Oxford, during the 1974/75 academic year. He earned his doctorate in 1979 at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, supervised by Wolf Barth. His thesis examined stable rank 2 vector bundles on the projective plane with an odd first Chern class. Following a post-doctoral term at Brown University in 1982/83, he returned to Erlangen to complete his habilitation in 1984.
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In 1985, Hulek became a professor at the University of Bayreuth. He transitioned to Leibniz University Hannover in 1990, where he served as vice-president for research between 2005 and January 2015. His administrative involvement extended to professional societies, including serving as vice-president of the German Mathematical Society from January 2019 to May 2020. He has held numerous advisory positions, such as his membership on the Foundation Board of the Oberwolfach Foundation since 2011 and his current role as deputy chair of the University Council of the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media.
Contributions to Algebraic Geometry
Hulek’s research has spanned vector bundles, moduli of abelian varieties, and the geometry of surfaces, specifically Enriques and K3 surfaces. In collaboration with V. Gritsenko and G. K. Sankaran, he demonstrated that the majority of moduli spaces of polarized K3 surfaces are of general type. His recent output includes investigations into hyperkähler manifolds, ball quotients, and the interplay between Hodge theory and geometric invariant theory. Furthermore, his work on the arithmetic of Calabi-Yau varieties has been utilized in the context of string theory.
Editorial Leadership
Hulek has been a figure in mathematical publishing for decades. He served as an editor for Mathematische Nachrichten from 2005, becoming editor-in-chief in 2012 until 2025. Between 2016 and 2023, he led the zbMATH service, overseeing its transition into the open-access platform zbMATH Open. As of 2025, he remains active on the scientific advisory board of EMS Press, maintaining his long-standing commitment to the dissemination of mathematical literature.
Fast facts
- Born: 1952, Bad Hindelang, Germany
- Doctorate: University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, 1979
- Primary Field: Algebraic Geometry
- Editor-in-Chief, zbMATH: 2016–2023
- Vice-president, Leibniz University Hannover: 2005–2015
- Languages: German, English
Questions readers ask
What is Klaus Hulek's primary area of study?
He is a mathematician specializing in algebraic geometry, with specific interests in moduli spaces, vector bundles, and Calabi-Yau varieties.
Where did he hold professorships?
Hulek served as a professor at the University of Bayreuth and subsequently at Leibniz University Hannover.
Achievements
- Held posts at Leibniz University Hannover and University of Bayreuth
- Fields: mathematics
