The publication of a counterexample to the Gromov-Lawson-Rosenberg conjecture in 1997 marked a significant intervention by Thomas Schick in the study of manifolds. Born in 1969 in Alzey, Germany, Schick has dedicated his career to advancing the fields of algebraic topology and differential geometry through rigorous analytical frameworks and complex index theory.
Academic Foundations and Research
Schick completed his mathematics and physics studies at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, earning his Diplom in 1994. He finished his doctorate in 1996 under the guidance of Wolfgang Lück, with a thesis focusing on Hodge-deRham isomorphism and index theorems on manifolds of bounded geometry. Following his doctoral work, he held positions at the University of Münster and Pennsylvania State University, where he collaborated with Nigel Higson and John Roe. He secured his habilitation at the University of Münster in 2000 and joined the faculty at the University of Göttingen the following year.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Contributions to Index Theory and Operator Algebras
Much of Schick's research involves topological invariants derived from the K-theory of operator algebras. In collaboration with Wolfgang Lück, he introduced the strong Atiyah conjecture regarding L2-Betti numbers of finite CW-complexes with discrete fundamental groups. In 2000, he provided proofs for various special cases of this conjecture. He later collaborated with Peter Linnell in 2007 to establish conditions linking the Atiyah conjecture for a torsion-free group to its finite extensions. Additionally, he developed methods to prove the Baum-Connes conjecture for full braid groups.
Professional Appointments and Recognition
Beyond his individual research, Schick served as the managing editor for the journal Mathematische Annalen and acted as coordinator for the Courant Research Center at the University of Göttingen, where he oversaw the study of mathematical structures relevant to string theory and quantum gravity. He presented his work on the topology of scalar curvature as an invited speaker at the 2014 International Congress of Mathematicians in Seoul. In 2016, he was inducted as a full member of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and in 2019, he was recognized as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
Fast facts
- Born: 1969, Alzey, Germany
- Education: Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
- Primary Fields: Algebraic topology, differential geometry
- Professional Membership: American Mathematical Society
- Notable Award: Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2019)
- Current Academic Affiliation: University of Göttingen
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of the research center Schick coordinated?
The Courant Research Center at the University of Göttingen focuses on higher-order mathematical structures applicable to theoretical physics, specifically string theory and quantum gravity.
What is the significance of the 1997 publication by Schick?
He published the first counterexample to the Gromov-Lawson-Rosenberg conjecture, which concerned criteria for the existence of metrics with positive scalar curvature.
Achievements
- Held posts at University of Göttingen
.jpg)
