Diane Souvaine
Encyclopedia
Diane L. Souvaine is a professor of computer science and mathematics at Tufts University
, and chair of the computer science department there. In 2008 she was nominated for a six-year term to the National Science Board, a 24-member body that governs the National Science Foundation
and advises the United States government about science policy. She also serves on the board of advisors of the computer science department at the University of Vermont
.
After undergraduate and masters studies at Radcliffe College
of Harvard University
and at Dartmouth College
, Souvaine earned her Ph.D. in 1986 from Princeton University
under the supervision of David P. Dobkin
. She held a faculty position at Rutgers University
from 1986 to 1998, and from 1992 to 1994 served as acting director of DIMACS
. From 1995 to 1996 she took a visiting position in mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study
in Princeton, New Jersey
, and in 1998 she took a permanent position at Tufts University. She was chair from 2002 to 2005 and (after a sabbatical at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
) was reappointed as chair in 2006. In 2008 she won Tufts' Lillian and Joseph Leibner Award for Excellence in Teaching and Advising of Students.
Souvaine's research is in computational geometry
and its applications, including robust
non-parametric statistics
and molecular modeling. She has also worked to encourage women and minorities in mathematics and the sciences and to advocate gender neutrality in science teaching.
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
, and chair of the computer science department there. In 2008 she was nominated for a six-year term to the National Science Board, a 24-member body that governs the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
and advises the United States government about science policy. She also serves on the board of advisors of the computer science department at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
.
After undergraduate and masters studies at Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
, Souvaine earned her Ph.D. in 1986 from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
under the supervision of David P. Dobkin
David P. Dobkin
David Paul Dobkin is the Dean of the Faculty and Phillip Y. Goldman '86 Professor of Computer Science at Princeton University.Dobkin was born February 29, 1948, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After receiving a B.S. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1970, he moved to Harvard University...
. She held a faculty position at Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
from 1986 to 1998, and from 1992 to 1994 served as acting director of DIMACS
DIMACS
The Center for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science is a collaboration between Rutgers University, Princeton University, and the research firms AT&T, Bell Labs, Telcordia, and NEC. It was founded in 1989 with money from the National Science Foundation...
. From 1995 to 1996 she took a visiting position in mathematics at the Institute for Advanced Study
Institute for Advanced Study
The Institute for Advanced Study, located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States, is an independent postgraduate center for theoretical research and intellectual inquiry. It was founded in 1930 by Abraham Flexner...
in Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, and in 1998 she took a permanent position at Tufts University. She was chair from 2002 to 2005 and (after a sabbatical at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
) was reappointed as chair in 2006. In 2008 she won Tufts' Lillian and Joseph Leibner Award for Excellence in Teaching and Advising of Students.
Souvaine's research is in computational geometry
Computational geometry
Computational geometry is a branch of computer science devoted to the study of algorithms which can be stated in terms of geometry. Some purely geometrical problems arise out of the study of computational geometric algorithms, and such problems are also considered to be part of computational...
and its applications, including robust
Robust statistics
Robust statistics provides an alternative approach to classical statistical methods. The motivation is to produce estimators that are not unduly affected by small departures from model assumptions.- Introduction :...
non-parametric statistics
Non-parametric statistics
In statistics, the term non-parametric statistics has at least two different meanings:The first meaning of non-parametric covers techniques that do not rely on data belonging to any particular distribution. These include, among others:...
and molecular modeling. She has also worked to encourage women and minorities in mathematics and the sciences and to advocate gender neutrality in science teaching.