Lars-Erik Persson

Lars-Erik Persson holds a career spanning over five decades in mathematical research and pedagogy, originating from Svanabyn, Sweden. Since completing his doctoral studies at Umeå University in 1974, he has built a portfolio comprising 350 scientific publications and 22 books, establishing a significant presence in global mathematical analysis and interpolation theory.

Academic Trajectory

After earning his PhD in 1974, Persson served as an Associate Professor at Umeå University and Luleå University of Technology. His professional ascent continued into the 1990s; beginning in 1992, he held professorial roles at various institutions, including Luleå University of Technology, Uppsala University, Karlstad University, Lund University, and UiT The Arctic University of Norway. In 2005, he was named an honorary professor at Eurasian National University in Kazakhstan.

THE FREE TEST

How high is yours?

Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.

Take the IQ test →

Research and Collaboration

Persson has engaged in extensive international cooperation, co-authoring works with approximately 170 mathematicians across 42 countries. His research encompasses Fourier analysis, interpolation theory, functional analysis, homogenization theory, and various forms of inequality. His most cited volumes, Weighted Inequalities of Hardy Type and Convex Functions and Their Applications, have collectively secured over 3,000 citations on Google Scholar. By 2025, he had supervised more than 71 PhD students across his nine core research areas.

Institutional Leadership

Beyond his direct research, Persson influenced Swedish mathematics through formal leadership roles. He served as vice president of the Swedish Mathematical Society between 1994 and 1996, followed by a term as president from 1996 to 1998. He also acted as the chairman of the board NT1 at the Swedish Research Council during 2010 and between 2012 and 2014, guiding the distribution of state funding for basic scientific research.

Awards and Mentorship

In 2002, Persson became the first recipient of the Louise Petrén award, recognized for his support of female mathematicians; he has supervised 31 women to their PhD exams. In 2008, he received Ångpanneföreningens stora pris, a national honor awarded annually to a single Swedish researcher across all disciplines. He remains the only mathematician to have received this distinction for his efforts in knowledge transfer beyond the university setting.