Baylor Professors Earn Prestigious Fellowships in Math, Physics

Fellowships from the American Mathematical Society and American Physical Society are elite honors bestowed only on faculty who have made significant and longstanding contributions to their disciplines. Two Baylor professors recently joined their ranks — Dorina Mitrea, Ph.D. (above left), in mathematics, and Lorin Swint Matthews, B.A. ’94, Ph.D. ’98 (above right), in physics.

Mitrea, department chair and professor of mathematics, was named a 2024 Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (AMS), one of only four mathematicians from Baylor to ever be honored and one of just 40 global mathematicians honored this year. Long recognized for excellence in teaching and research, her scholarly focus resides at the interface between harmonic analysis, partial differential equations, differential geometry and geometric measure theory. 

“By being bestowed this award by my peers, I am now part of a group of mathematicians who have distinguished themselves for their contributions to the profession,” Mitrea said. “This group consists of outstanding mathematicians of the highest caliber, and I feel deeply honored to be included in their ranks.”

As chair of the mathematics department, Mitrea strives to build the reputation of Baylor as an internationally recognized institution for research and education in mathematics, and her award further bolsters the department’s reputation in higher education. 

Matthews, chair and professor of physics and associate director for Baylor’s Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research (CASPER), was appointed as a 2023 Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS), an honor given to no more than one half of one percent of APS membership.

Matthews has built an internationally recognized reputation and research portfolio in dusty plasma, which are important in areas such as the formation of planets and fusion energy. Lauded as well for her teaching and mentorship, she returned to her alma mater in 2000 and has been honored for her mentorship, earning the honor of Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year in 2020 from Baylor Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA).

“Receiving the APS Fellowship is a great honor,” Matthews said. “It’s also an honor that speaks to the fact that Baylor is ramping up in research and that we have great colleagues in research. It’s exciting to receive this [fellowship], and it’s meaningful to see Baylor faculty across campus receiving honors that speak to their impact.”