Emmy Murphy
Northwestern University
2020 New Horizons in Mathematics Prize
For contributions to symplectic and contact geometry, in particular the introduction of notions of loose Legendrian submanifolds and, with Matthew Strom Borman and Yakov Eliashberg, overtwisted contact structures in higher dimensions.
Comments
There are many people I’d like to thank for providing their wonderful influence throughout the years. Firstly, I give my love and thanks to my family and friends for years and moments together. I am endlessly grateful to my many mathematical mentors and colleagues. For me, mathematics exists in the space between us, in conversation and collaboration. This holds for the deepest scientific insights, and especially the appreciation of mathematical beauty. Finally, I hope to express my deep thanks to the numerous writers, academics and artists whose work is born out of the queer/trans experience. Some of you I know well, and many I have never met, but without your inspiration nothing I have accomplished would be possible. I also extend this thanks to the many mathematicians, from all their various backgrounds, who have been personal role models to me. I’m eagerly excited for the present and future of mathematics, as the pool of brilliant minds we have to draw on continues to broaden in all directions.