Why Mathematicians Must Speak Up with Bryna Kra
In this conversation, Dr. Bryna Kra discusses her journey in mathematics, focusing on her research, dynamical systems, the importance of collaboration, and the role of the American Mathematical Society. She emphasizes the need for better communication within the mathematics community and the challenges it faces, particularly regarding diversity and inclusion. Bryna shares her experiences in mentoring women in mathematics and reflects on her career achievements while looking forward to future contributions in the field.
About the Guest
Dr. Bryna Kra
Bryna Kra received her PhD from Stanford University in 1995. After holding several postdoctoral positions, she joined the faculty at The Pennsylvania State University in 2000. In 2004, she moved to Northwestern University as an Associate Professor and was named the Sarah Rebecca Roland Professor of Mathematics in 2013. She served as Chair of Northwestern’s Department of Mathematics from 2009 to 2012. From February 2023 to January 2025, she served as President of the American Mathematical Society.
Kra’s research lies in ergodic theory and dynamical systems, with deep connections to combinatorics and number theory. She is particularly known for her work on multiple ergodic averages and for illuminating the interplay between dynamical systems and arithmetic structure.
Her many honors include an AMS Centennial Fellowship (2006), the Levi L. Conant Prize (2010) for her expository article “The Green–Tao theorem on arithmetic progressions in the primes: an ergodic point of view,” and Simons Fellowships in 2016 and 2021. She was an invited speaker at the 2006 International Congress of Mathematicians in Madrid. Kra was named a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society in 2013, elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2016, and to the National Academy of Sciences in 2019. In 2023, she was named a Fellow of the Association for Women in Mathematics and elected a Corresponding Foreign Member of La Academia Chilena de Ciencias.
Beyond her research, Kra has been a national leader in mentorship and service. She founded Graduate Research Opportunities for Women (GROW), a program supporting women in mathematics, which received the AMS Programs That Make a Difference Award in 2020. At Northwestern, she received both the 2022 Provost Award for Exemplary Faculty Service and the Dorothy Ann and Clarence L. Ver Steeg Distinguished Research Fellowship.
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