Ivo and Renata Babuška Thesis Prize

Scholarship Sponsored by American Mathematical Society

Introductory summary
The Ivo and Renata Babuška Thesis Prize is presented each year to the author of an exceptional Ph.D. dissertation in mathematics that is interdisciplinary in character and may have applications beyond mathematics.

About Ivo and Renata Babuška
Ivo Babuška (1926–2023) was a Czech-American mathematician renowned for contributions bridging theoretical and applied mathematics, especially in numerical analysis, finite element methods, and computational mechanics. His achievements earned him numerous distinctions, including five honorary doctorates; the Czechoslovak State Prize for Mathematics; the Leroy P. Steele Prize; the Birkhoff Prize; the Humboldt Prize (Federal Republic of Germany); the John von Neumann Medal; the Neuron Prize (Czech Republic); the ICAM Congress Medal (Newton Gauss); the Bolzano Medal; and the Honorary Medal De Scientia Et Humanitate Optime Meritis. The International Astronomical Union honored him by naming asteroid 36060 Babuška after him.

Renata Babuška (née Mikulásek) was Ivo’s lifelong partner of 63 years. Raised in Prague, she graduated from Charles University in 1953 with a degree in Mathematical Statistical Engineering. Initially assigned to the Education Department evaluating universities and technical schools, she became an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the Czech Technical University two years later. After relocating to the United States, Renata worked as a data and computing management consultant for various federal agencies in Washington, D.C. She often remarked that behind every successful man there is a strong woman; Ivo frequently acknowledged that he would not have achieved what he did without her support.

Academic appointments and honors
Ivo Babuška served as a Distinguished Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, and later held the Robert B. Trull Chair in Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, where he was TICAM Senior Research Scientist and Professor in both Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics as well as Mathematics. He was a Fellow of SIAM, ACM, and ICAM; a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering; a member of the Academy of Medicine, Engineering, and Science of Texas; a member of the European Academy of Sciences; and an honorary foreign member of the Czech Learned Society.

Purpose of the prize
Motivated by Babuška’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration among mathematicians, engineers, and physicists, this prize recognizes outstanding doctoral work that crosses disciplinary boundaries and demonstrates practical relevance.

Administration and award
The Babuška Thesis Prize follows the American Mathematical Society’s current prizes-and-awards governance and procedures. The award carries a cash amount of US$3,000.

Key dates
- Next prize presentation: January 2027 (at the Joint Mathematics Meetings)
- Nomination window: February 1 – June 30, 2026

Nomination and eligibility requirements
1. Eligible dissertations are Ph.D. theses granted between July 1 of year −1 and June 30 of year 0 (where year 0 is the year of nomination and selection). The prize is presented at the Joint Mathematics Meetings in January of year +1.
2. The nominating body must be a Ph.D.-granting institution that is either located in the United States or, if located outside the United States, must be an institutional member of the AMS at the time the nomination is made.
3. Each eligible institution may submit only one Ph.D. thesis for consideration.
4. Nominations must include a copy of the dissertation and a supporting nomination letter; both documents must be submitted in English.
5. The selection committee for the prize will be appointed by the President of the American Mathematical Society.

For further information or specific submission instructions, consult the AMS announcements for the Ivo and Renata Babuška Thesis Prize or contact the AMS administrative office.