DR. RENATE SCHEIDLER TO RECEIVE THE 2024 KRIEGER-NELSON PRIZE

OTTAWA, Ontario – The Canadian Mathematical Society is delighted to announce Dr. Renate Scheidler (University of Calgary) as the recipient of the 2024 Krieger-Nelson Prize. Dr. Scheidler receives this prestigious award in recognition of her important and significant contributions to research, particularly in the fields of computational number theory and algebraic number theory.

Dr. Scheidler earned her BSc and MSc equivalent in Mathematics at the University of Cologne (Germany) before pursuing her PhD in Computer Science at the University of Manitoba, completing it in 1993. Following her journey as a student, she held a faculty appointment at the University of Delaware. In 2001, Dr. Scheidler joined the University of Calgary, where she has since held various roles. Initially an Associate Professor, she was appointed Professor in 2008. From 2011 to 2016, she served as the Graduate Program Director of the Department of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of Calgary. Then, in 2022, she spent a year at the Department of Mathematics of Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg (Germany) as a Helene Lange Visiting Professor. Today, Dr. Scheidler remains a Professor at the University of Calgary, with a joint appointment in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics and the Department of Computer Science. She is also a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics.

Dr. Scheidler’s primary research is situated at the intersection of mathematics and computer science, focusing on the design and analysis of algorithms and computations within global fields. These fields encompass algebraic number fields and those derived from algebraic curves over finite fields, situated in the realms of algebraic number theory, arithmetic geometry, and cryptography. The primary objective is to develop and implement cutting-edge algorithms for global fields, emphasizing mathematical aspects while considering cryptographic applications. Dr. Scheidler’s research integrates methodologies from algebraic number theory, arithmetic geometry, complexity theory, cryptography, and computing. This interdisciplinary approach involves abstract mathematics, algorithm design and analysis, computer implementation, and the synthesis of numerical data.

The CMS Research Committee comments:

“[Dr. Scheidler’s] work has significantly advanced our understanding of various number theoretic structures and their applications in cryptography.”

Dr. Scheidler boasts an impressive publication record, having (co-)authored over 60 papers that have been published in widely recognized and esteemed journals. A significant portion of her research revolves around providing explicit descriptions and developing algorithms for specific families of global fields. These include quadratic, cubic, biquadratic, dihedral, and Artin-Schreier extensions. A notable joint paper titled “Computing modular polynomials and isogenies of rank two Drinfeld modules over finite fields” (co-authored with P. Caranay and M. Greenberg) marks an early exploration into computations on Drinfeld modules. In a recent pair of articles (co-authored with S. Arpin, M. Chen, K. Lauter, K. Stange, and H. Tran), she and her collaborators delve into the structure of oriented supersingular isogeny graphs and introduce an innovative sub-exponential quantum algorithm designed for solving the path-finding problem within these graphs, given an endomorphism. Since 2006, Dr. Scheidler has been an Associate Editor for Advances in Mathematics of Communications (AMC) and since 2023, she has been the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Contributions to Discrete Mathematics.

Beyond her direct contributions to research, Dr. Scheidler has left a significant imprint on the wider research community, both in Canada and internationally. Her influence is evident in her involvement as a member of organizing or scientific committees for approximately 30 conferences, editorial roles in numerous journals and special volumes, and consistent mentorship in the Women in Numbers workshop series. In fact, together with Kristin Lauter and Rachel Pries, Dr. Scheidler organized the very first Women in Numbers (WIN) conference that took place in Banff in 2008, and founded the Women in Numbers Network that oversees the organization of the WIN conferences and serves as a community for female researchers in number theory. Finally, Dr. Scheidler has taken on the supervision of 13 Ph.D. and 15 M.Sc. students, collaborated with 8 postdoctoral fellows, and guided around 40 undergraduate research students, showcasing her commitment to nurturing and advancing the next generation of researchers.

In summary, Dr. Scheidler is an accomplished researcher and a leader in her field, and she has greatly contributed to the promotion of research by junior mathematicians and women in mathematics. Renate Scheidler holds a distinguished and vital role within the mathematical community, and the CMS is proud to award her the 2024 Krieger-Nelson Prize.

About the Krieger-Nelson Prize
The Krieger-Nelson Prize, jointly named for Cecilia Krieger and Evelyn Nelson was first awarded in 1995. It was inaugurated to recognize outstanding contributions in the area of mathematical research by a female mathematician.

For more information, visit the Krieger-Nelson Prize page.

About the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS)
The CMS is the main national organization whose goal is to promote and advance the discovery, learning and application of mathematics. The Society’s activities cover the whole spectrum of mathematics including: scientific meetings, research publications, and the promotion of excellence in mathematics competitions that recognize outstanding student achievements.

 

For more information, please contact:

Dr. Susan Cooper (uManitoba) Chair, CMS Research Committee Canadian Mathematical Society chair-resc@cms.math.ca

or

Dr. Termeh Kousha Executive Director Canadian Mathematical Society tkousha@cms.math.ca