The doctoral dissertation submitted by Michael Rapoport at the University of Paris-Sud in 1976 marked the beginning of a specialized career in arithmetic algebraic geometry. Born in 1948 in Berlin, the Austrian mathematician has since shaped the field through extensive research into Shimura varieties, p-divisible groups, and the Langlands correspondence, while training subsequent generations of researchers.
Academic Formation and Early Research
Before his postgraduate studies in France, Rapoport attended the Heinrich-Hertz-Gymnasium. His doctoral work was completed under the supervision of Pierre Deligne. Early in his career, he focused on the moduli of elliptic curves, co-authoring the significant work Les Schémas de Modules de Courbes Elliptiques in 1973. His collaboration with Th. Zink in 1982 explored the local zeta function of Shimura varieties, specifically analyzing monodromy filtration and vanishing cycles.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Professional Appointments and Teaching
Rapoport has held several academic positions throughout his career in Germany. He served on the faculty at Heidelberg University, the University of Cologne, and the University of Wuppertal. His primary long-term academic base was the University of Bonn, where he held a chair for arithmetic algebraic geometry. In addition to his primary roles in Germany, he also maintained a visiting appointment at the University of Maryland.
Research Contributions and Recognition
His research output includes significant volumes on the classification of F-isocrystals and period spaces for p-divisible groups, the latter published by Princeton University Press in 1996. In 1994, he presented on non-Archimedean period domains as an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Zürich. His contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize in 1992, the Gay-Lussac-Humboldt-Prize in 1999, the Heinz Hopf Prize in 2011, and the Karl-Georg-Christian-von-Staudt-Preis in 2013.
Mentorship
Throughout his time at the University of Bonn, Rapoport supervised numerous doctoral candidates. His students include Peter Scholze, Eva Viehmann, Werner Baer, and Maria Heep-Altiner. He remains active in the mathematical community as a member of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Academia Europaea.
Fast facts
- Born: 1948, Berlin
- Citizenship: Austria
- PhD: University of Paris-Sud (1976)
- Primary Field: Arithmetic Algebraic Geometry
- Leibniz Prize: 1992
- Heinz Hopf Prize: 2011
- Notable Student: Peter Scholze
Questions readers ask
Where did Michael Rapoport complete his doctoral studies?
He received his doctorate from the University of Paris-Sud in 1976.
Which major awards has Michael Rapoport received?
He is the recipient of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (1992), the Gay-Lussac-Humboldt-Prize (1999), the Heinz Hopf Prize (2011), and the Karl-Georg-Christian-von-Staudt-Preis (2013).
Achievements
- Heinz Hopf Prize — 2011
- Gay-Lussac-Humboldt-Prize — 1999
- Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize — 1992
- Held posts at University of Bonn, Heidelberg University and University of Cologne
- Fields: mathematics
