Aigli Papantonopoulou, is a distinguished Mathematics researcher and academic. Since 1986 she has held the position of Professor of Mathematics at The College of New Jersey.
After graduating from Pierce in June 1965, she completed her BA in Physics at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York with a combined Full Scholarship and Fullbright Fellowship. Following her graduation, she continued her education at the University of California at Berkeley where she completed her Ph. D. in Mathematics in 1975. Her thesis focused on the field of Algebraic Geometry under the supervision of Professor Robin Hartshorne. She then went on to the University of Pennsylvania with a two-year post-Doc position in Mathematics.
She has taught Mathematics in universities such as Bryn Mawr and the University of Crete. She has published several papers in Algebraic Geometry and a book with Prentice Hall in Abstract Algebra. Since 1975 she has continuously served as a Math Reviewer for the American Mathematical Society and for the Zentralblatt fur Mathematik.
Q&A
Q: What are three enduring values Pierce has taught you?
Interact, communicate and reach out to your peers and teachers. This is the advice I always give to my students.
Q:Describe Pierce in three words.
An amazing place full of interesting, dedicated and wonderful teachers.
Q: Which is your fondest memory from your time at Pierce?
Ms. Krokodilou visiting our class, or welcoming us in the morning when we arrived with our bus.
Q: What do you miss most from your days at Pierce?
The care our teachers showed towards us. We were all welcomed in the class. The energy we all had, and the care our teachers showed towards us.
Q: If you could go back in time, is there anything that would you do differently?
Spend more time with my classmates at school and after school during the weekends.
Q: Where was your favorite spot on campus?
The library!! I had never seen a library before. I was amazed that I could just borrow any book and bring it home with me.
Q: Who was your favorite teacher and why?
Iotopoulou!!! What a personality!! The enthusiasm she had for Art History made us all love the subject. Till now I have a strong interest in Byzantine Art and European Renaissance Art because of her.
Q: After graduation, have you maintained a relationship with your school and classmates?
Yes, about fifteen of us meet and have dinner together whenever I visit Athens. We correspond, send messages via Facebook and have met each other’s children.
Q: Looking back, how did your time at Pierce help you become the person you are today?
I became more open, easier to interact with people and in general Pierce helped me to be more self-confident.
Q: What advice would you give a new Pierce student?
Explore many subjects. Do not focus only on a few topics. Make many friends. They will be with you for many years to come.
Q: Where do you get your inspiration from?
Maybe from my parents who always had faith in me.
Q: What is your motto in life?
Be strong and kind.
ACG Alumni: We Stay Connected!
