Kate Okikiolu, PhD, is a mathematician whose work has advanced the fields of geometric analysis and spectral geometry. She earned her PhD in mathematics from the University of California at Los Angeles. In 1997, Okikiolu became the first black recipient of a Sloan Research Fellowship, and was also awarded a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. She is the first black woman to publish in the Annals of Mathematics (one of the most prestigious modern mathematics journals). In addition to her research, she has been committed throughout her career to teaching and mentoring students in mathematics.
