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Helmut Hofer

b. 1956

German mathematician

Mathematician University teacher
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About Helmut Hofer

Born 1956. Helmut Hofer is a German and American mathematician and university teacher, known for Finite energy foliations, Hofer geometry and Polyfold theory.

Helmut Hermann W. Hofer (born February 28, 1956) is a German-American mathematician, one of the founders of the area of symplectic topology.

He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and the recipient of the 1999 Ostrowski Prize and the 2013 Heinz Hopf Prize. Since 2009, he has been a faculty member at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

He was an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) in 1990 in Kyoto and a plenary speaker at the ICM in 1998 in Berlin.

He is currently an editor of Annals of Mathematics.

Selected publications

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Important facts

Born
28 February 1956, Sinzig
Birth century
20th century
Occupation
Mathematician, university teacher
Nationality
Germany, United States
Known for
Finite energy foliations, Hofer geometry, Polyfold theory, Symplectic capacities, Symplectic field theory, Symplectic homology
Education
University of Zurich, Universität Zürich
Employers
Ruhr University Bochum, New York University, ETH Zurich, Institute for Advanced Study
Awards
Ostrowski Prize; Heinz Hopf Prize; Fellow of the American Mathematical Society
Also known as
Helmut H Hofer

People in Helmut Hofer's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Portrait of Heinz Hopf
Heinz Hopf
1894 – 1971
Mathematician
 Portrait of Helmut Hermann
Helmut Hermann
b. 1966
Association football player

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Helmut Hofer's

Portrait of Alexander Prokhorov
Alexander Prokhorov
1916 – 2002
Physicist
 Portrait of Chia-Chiao Lin
Chia-Chiao Lin
1916 – 2013
Poet
 Portrait of Philip Rosenthal
Philip Rosenthal
1916 – 2001
Entrepreneur
 Portrait of Andrew Huxley
Andrew Huxley
1917 – 2012
Neuroscientist
 Portrait of Gad al-Haq
Gad al-Haq
1917 – 1996
Mufti
 Portrait of Stéphane Hessel
Stéphane Hessel
1917 – 2013
Diplomat

Frequently asked questions

Who is Helmut Hofer?

German mathematician

When was Helmut Hofer born?

Helmut Hofer was born on 28 February 1956 in Sinzig.

What is Helmut Hofer's occupation?

Helmut Hofer is a mathematician and university teacher.

What is Helmut Hofer known for?

Helmut Hofer is known for Finite energy foliations, Hofer geometry, Polyfold theory, Symplectic capacities, Symplectic field theory and Symplectic homology.

What nationality is Helmut Hofer?

Helmut Hofer is German and American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Helmut Hofer

· Wikidata: Q91509

· DBpedia: Helmut Hofer

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helmut Hofer. https://biography.guide/helmut-hofer/

MLA: "Helmut Hofer." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helmut-hofer/.

Chicago: "Helmut Hofer." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helmut-hofer/.

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