Update (10/18):
Popular Science featured Dr. Larremore in their article "Brilliant scientists and engineers in the US in 2022". Larremore discussed his participation in research regarding COVID-19, especially his modeling work in the early pandemic.
Original article:
In May, Applied Mathematics Ph.D. alumnus Daniel B. Larremore received the Alan T. Waterman Award, which is presented annually by the National Science Foundation (NSF) at the National Science Board meeting. The award was established in 1975 and is given to early-career researchers “who demonstrate exceptional individual achievements in research in NSF-supported fields” (NSF). NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan explained that the awardees have “clearly demonstrated a superb record of scientific achievements by using creative and innovative approaches that have further strengthened basic research in their respective fields.”
Dr. Larremore graduated with a Ph.D. from Applied Mathematics in 2012, and is now an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science department and the BioFrontiers Institute. NSF explained that Dr. Larremore received the Waterman Award “For foundational research in computational epidemiology, combining mathematics and computation with real-world data to create powerful new models that provide concrete, innovative, and useful answers to globally important questions in the study of epidemic dynamics, including timely research on vaccination and testing strategies for combating the COVID-19 pandemic.”
More specifially, Dr. Larremore’s work involved using and creating models that explored COVID-19 questions, such as how the first vaccine doses should be used to minimize deaths or infections, and how rapid testing can be used to reduce community transmission. Dr. Larremore explains the importance of this award:
"I am humbled. Receiving the Alan T. Waterman award is, simply put, the greatest honor of my career. It opens a door for me, with my students, to throw our best efforts at harder and harder problems in infectious disease modeling and network science … At this stage in my career, it provides incredible momentum and serves as a challenge to continue to focus on the most meaningful problems I can find."
- Dr. Larremore
The Department of Applied Mathematics congratulates Dr. Daniel Larremore on this momentous achievement! Information regarding the Alan T. Waterman award, such as other winners and more about Dr. Larremore’s work, can be found on the award’s webpage. CU Boulder Today also wrote a piece about Dr. Larremore and the award.
Banner photo: Glenn Asakawa/CU Boulder