Kym Cox/Science Source via New York Times

In Bubbles, She Sees a Mathematical Universe

"On the evening of March 19, the mathematician Karen Uhlenbeck gathered with revelers at the Institute for Advanced Study for a champagne reception. Some hours earlier she’d been awarded the Abel Prize—the first time a woman had won it—for her discovery of a phenomenon called 'bubbling,' among other effervescent results. ... As a procession of speeches and toasts lauded her life’s work, Dr. Uhlenbeck stood to the side of the lectern and listened, eyes mostly closed. When it finally came time to make her own remarks (unprepared), she began by simply agreeing: 'From the perspective of my late seventies, I find myself as a young mathematician sort of impressive, too.'"

Writing for the New York Times, former Director's Visitor Siobhan Roberts profiles Karen Uhlenbeck, frequent Member and Visitor since 1979, detailing Uhlenbeck's Abel Prize–winning research on "bubbling" and its special significance to participants in the School of Mathematics' 2018–19 special year on "Variational Methods in Geometry," prompting Professor Helmut Hofer to observe, “It’s the world’s biggest bubble fest around here lately.”