On 16 November 2022, during the ETH Day, mathematician Alessandro Carlotto, professor at the University of Trento Department of Mathematics, received the ETH Zurich Latsis Prize for his original research at the frontier of mathematics and physics.
In his research, Alessandro Carlotto investigates the mysteries of shapes and curvature in higher dimensions. He often operates on the border of mathematics and physics: his perspective is that of geometric analysis, which – put very simply – employs the tools of mathematical analysis to explore the shape of objects in space and how they deform over time and under the influence of curvature. Within that field, Carlotto is considered a rising star and 'the best young researcher in continental Europe'.
The award is an acknowledgement of the UniTrento mathematician’s pursuit of a very independent and rich research agenda, his reputation as an excellent lecturer and his award of an ERC Starting Grant 2020, which is considered a seal of quality for excellent research. In its laudation, the ETH Zurich Research Commission justifies Carlotto’s award as follows: 'His deep and highly original results cover a broad spectrum from differential geometry to general relativity. His scientific work has not only had a strong impact on mathematics, where he has tackled numerous longstanding problems, but also on theoretical physics.'
Carlotto joined ETH Zurich in 2015 as a Junior Fellow of the Institute for Theoretical Studies. In May 2016, the ETH Board appointed him Assistant Professor of Mathematics. By the end of August 2022, he had returned to Italy to take up a professorship at Università degli Studi di Trento.
(See ETH Zurich for the original press release and related article)