The Ph.D. dissertation titled Hofer geometry for Lagrangian loops, a Legendrian knot and a travelling wave, completed by Meike Akveld in 2000, marked the beginning of her career at ETH Zurich. Born in 1972 in Leiden, she has built a professional profile centered on geometry, topology, and the advancement of mathematics education through academic leadership and publishing.
Academic Background
Akveld pursued her undergraduate studies at the University of Warwick before attending the University of Cambridge for Part III of the Mathematical Tripos. She moved to Switzerland to complete her doctoral research at ETH Zurich, where she worked under the joint supervision of Dietmar Salamon and Leonid Polterovich. Following the completion of her doctorate, she remained at ETH Zurich as a tenured senior scientist and lecturer within the mathematics and teacher education group.
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Her academic output spans diverse topics including knot theory, symplectic geometry, and calculus. Her authored and co-authored texts include Canonical metrics in Kähler geometry, published in 2000, and several works focused on knots, such as the 2007 book Knoten in der Mathematik: Ein Spiel mit Schnüren, Bildern und Formeln and the 2011 release Knots Unravelled: From String to Mathematics. She also contributed to the German-language education series Analysis I and Analysis II, released in 2012 and 2015 respectively, and co-authored Integrieren - do it yourself in 2010.
Mathematics Outreach
Beyond her research and lecturing duties, Akveld is active in the popularization of mathematics. She serves as the organizer for the Mathematical Kangaroo competitions within Switzerland. Furthermore, she acts as the president of the Association Kangourou sans Frontières, an international society based in France dedicated to promoting mathematical engagement.
Fast facts
- Born: 1972, Leiden
- Citizenship: Switzerland
- Education: University of Warwick, University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich
- Doctorate: ETH Zurich, 2000
- Primary Employer: ETH Zurich
- Specializations: Knot theory, symplectic geometry, mathematics education
Questions readers ask
Where does Meike Akveld work?
She is a tenured senior scientist and lecturer at ETH Zurich.
What is the focus of her international volunteer work?
She leads the Association Kangourou sans Frontières, which focuses on the international popularization of mathematics.
Achievements
- Held posts at ETH Zurich
