Research

Research Priorities: Complex algebraic geometry, algebraic varieties, Hodge theory, Kähler manifolds, mirror symmetry, Kodaira’s theorem

Claire Voisin is a French mathematician. She focuses on complex algebraic geometry and has solved two previously insurmountable problems. She disproved Kodaira’s theorem and solved the Kodaira problem. She also proved US mathematician Mark Green’s theories about the syzygies of canonical curves.

She is considered a leader in the field of complex algebraic geometry. This field of mathematics investigates the structural characteristics of one, two and multidimensional objects using calculations and equations. Claire Voisin found the solution to two long unresolved problems in algebraic geometry: She disproved the famous theorem of Japanese mathematician Kodaira Kunihiko that three-dimensional and multidimensional objects can be investigated using “algebraic varieties”. In doing so, Claire Voisin also succeeded in providing a partial proof and solution to the theories of US mathematicians Mark Green and Spencer Bloch. Her book about British mathematician William Hodge’s theory, “Hodge Theory and Complex Algebraic Geometry”, is now considered the standard reference.

Career

• 2015-2020 Professor, Collège de France, Paris, France
• 2012-2014 Professor, École Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France
• 1996 Visiting Professor, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
• since 1995 Research Director, Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu-Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG), Paris, France
• 1989 Habilitation
• since 1986 Researcher, Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), Paris, France
• 1986 Doctorate
• 1981-1986 Degree, École normale supérieure de jeunes filles, Sèvres, France

Functions

• since 2014 Co-Editor, Journal de l’Ecole polytechnique
• 2013-2014 Editor, Forum of Mathematics Sigma
• since 2013 Member, Scientific Board, Fields Institute, Toronto, Canada
• since 2012 Editor, Communications in Analysis and Geometry
• 2012 Member, Senior-Jury Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), France
• since 2011 Editor-in-Chief, Publications Mathématiques de l’IHÉS
• 2011-2014 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Centre International de Rencontres Mathématiques (CIRM), Marseille, France
• 2011 Member, Senior-Jury Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), France
• since 2009 Editor, Journal de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées
• 2009-2012 Member, Blaise Pascal Research Chair, Fondation de l’École normale supérieure, Paris, France
• 2009-2012 Member, Scientific Advisory Board, Oberwolfach Research Institute for Mathematics (MFO), Oberwolfach, Germany
• since 2007 Editor, Communications in Contemporary Mathematics
• 2007-2011 Editor, Publications Mathématiques de l’IHÉS
• 2007 Member, Junior-Jury Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), France
• 2006 Member, Junior-Jury Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), France
• 2004-2007 Editor, J. Differential Geometry
• 2004-2007 Editor, Journal of Algebraic Geometry
• 1999-2004 Editor, Annales de l’ENS
• 1998-2014 Editor, Journal of the European Mathematical Society (JEMS)
• since 1998 Co-Editor, Compositio mathematica
• 1997-2004 Editor, Mathematische Zeitschrift
• 1996-2009 Editor, Duke Math. Journal

Projects

• 2012-2014 Host, Project “Lagrangian fibrations on irreducible symplectic manifolds. Deformations of Lagrangian subvarieties and affine structures”, German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany
• 2017-2022 Cooperation Partner, Project “Syzygies and moduli”, DFG, Germany

Honours and Memberships

• 2024 Crafoord Prize in Mathematics, The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and Crafoord Foundation, Lund, Sweden
• since 2022 Member, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, USA
• since 2021 Member, Royal Society, UK
• 2019 L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNSECO) and Fondation L’Oréal, Clichy, France
• 2017 Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences, Shaw Prize Foundation, Hongkong, China
• 2016 Gold Medal, CNRS, France
• 2015 Heinz Hopf Prize, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
• since 2014 Member, Academia Europaea
• since 2012 Honorary Member, London Mathematical Society, London, UK
• since 2011 Member, Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Italy
• since 2010 Member, Académie des sciences, Paris, France
• since 2009 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2008 Clay Research Award, Clay Mathematics Institute, Peterborough, USA
• 2007 Ruth Lyttle Satter Prize, American Mathematical Society, USA
• since 2006 Member, Istituto Lombardo Accademia di Scienze e Lettere, Milan, Italy
• 2006 Silver Medal, CNRS, France
• 2003 Sophie Germain Prize, Académie des Sciences, Paris, France
• 1996 Servant Prize, Académie des Sciences, Paris, France
• 1992 European Mathematical Society Prize, European Mathematical Society (EMS)
• 1988 Bronze Medal, CNRS, France