Curriculum Vitae

Short CV

(For my full CV, click here.)

Positions:

Akademischen Rätin (postdoc), April 2020- March 2023
WWU Münster

Postdoctoral Researcher, September 2018- March 2020
WWU Münster

Education:

Ph.D. Mathematics, University of Virginia, 2018.
Advisor: David Sherman
Dissertation: C*-algebras and their finite-dimensional representations.

M.S. Mathematics, Auburn University, 2013.

B.S. Mathematics, Auburn University, 2010.
B.A. Philosophy, Auburn University, 2010.

Articles:

B. Armstrong, G. G. de Castro, L. Orloff Clark, K. Courtney, Y-F. Lin, K. McCormick, J. Ramagge, Aidan Sims, and Benjamin Steinberg. “Reconstruction of twisted Steinberg algebras,” Int. Math. Res. Not., rnab291, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1093/imrn/rnab291.  arXiv:2101.08556.

B. Armstrong, L. Orloff Clark, K. Courtney, Y-F. Lin, K. McCormick, and J. Ramagge. “Twisted Steinberg algebras,” J. Pure Appl. Algebr., 226 (2022), Issue 3. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpaa.2021.106853] (arXiv:1910.13005)

K. Courtney, “Universal C*-algebras with the Local Lifting Property,” Math. Scand., 127 (2021), 361-381. [https://doi.org/10.7146/math.scand.a-126018] (arXiv:2002.02365).

K. Courtney, D. Sherman. “The universal C*-algebra of a contraction,” J. Operator Theory, 84 (2020), Issue 1, 153-184. [http://dx.doi.org/10.7900/jot.2019mar11.2229] (arXiv:1811.04043).

K. Courtney, T. Shulman. “Free products with amalgamation over central C*-subalgebras,”  Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., 148 (2020), 765-776. [https://doi.org/10.1090/proc/14746] (arXiv:1809.09134).

K. Courtney, T. Shulman. “Elements of C*-algebras attaining their norm in a finite-dimensional representation,” Canad. J. Math. 71 (2019), Issue 1,
[http://dx.doi.org/10.4153/CJM-2017-040-x] (arxiv:1707.01949).

Honors, Awards, Grants, Fellowships, Distinguished Research Programs:

• National Science Foundation, (Co-PI) Groundwork for Operator Algebras Lecture Series (GOALS) (NSF #2000131), April 01, 2020- September 30, 2021.
• American Institute of Mathematics (AIM), Structured Quartet Research Ensembles (SQuaRE), 2019-2022.
• Oberwolfach Leibniz Graduate Students Grant recipient, August 2019.
• American Mathematical Society, Joint Math Meetings 2018 Travel Grant.
• Association for Women in Math, Joint Math Meetings 2018 Workshop Grant.
• US Junior Oberwolfach Fellow, September 2017.
• All-University Graduate Teaching Award, University of Virginia, April 2017.
• Spring Dissertation Fellowship, University of Virginia, Spring 2017.
• Invited Researcher, Intensive Research Program on Operator Algebras: Dynamics and Interactions, Centre de Recerca Matemática, Bellaterra, March-July 2017.

Selected Talks:

• Automorphisms and Invariants of Operator Algebras, University of Copenhagen, 2021.
  “Nuclearity and inductive limits.”
• Conference on Operator Algebras & Related Topics: In memory of Vaughan Jones
  Istanbul Center for Mathematical Sciences and Online, June 8-10, 2021
• 8th European Congress of Mathematics, Operator Algebras Mini-Symposium, Online 2021.
• Global NCG Seminar (European Edition). Online, 2021.
  ”Generalized inductive limits with asymptotically order zero maps.” (Slides)
• Actions of Tensor Categories on C*-algebras. IPAM (UCLA), Online, 2021.
  Mini Course: “The abstract approach to classifying C*-algebras.” (Video) (Slides)
• Global NCG Seminar (Americas Edition). Online, 2020.
  ”C*-structure on images of completely positive order zero maps.” (Video)
• UK Virtual Operator Algebras Seminar. Online, 2020.
  “Kirchberg’s QWEP Conjecture: Between Connes’ and Tsirelson’s Problems.” (Slides)
• Banff Workshop 19w5134 – Classification Problems in von Neumann Algebras. BIRS, 2019.
  “Amalgamated Products of Strongly RFD C*-algebras arising from locally compact groups.” (Video)
• Banff Workshop 19w5073 – Topology and Measure in Dynamics and Operator Algebras. BIRS, 2019.
  “Amalgamated products of RFD C*-algebras.”
• Oberwolfach Workshop 1933: C*-algebras. MFO, 2019:
  “Amalgamated products of RFD C*-algebras.”
• Groupoids, Graphs, and Algebras. University of Sydney, 2019:
  “Twisted Steinberg Algebras.”
• East Coast Operator Algebras Symposium. Texas Christian University, October 2018:
  “Amalgamated free products of strongly RFD C*-algebras over central subalgebras.” (Slides)
• International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM)- Satellite Conference in Operator Algebras. Florianópolis, Brazil, July 2018:
  “Norm attainment under finite-dimensional representations.” (Slides)
• (Sub)factors in Maui. Maui, HI, 2018:
  “A universal contraction algebra: from von Neumann’s inequality to Connes’ embedding problem.”
• AMS Sectional Meeting- Special Session on Advances in Operator Algebras. Vanderbilt, April 2018:
  “Finite-dimensional representations of C*-algebras and AF mapping telescopes.”
• Workshop on computability of K-theory for C*-algebras. Texas A& M, February 2018:
  “Universal contractions, von Neumann’s Inequality, and Connes’ embedding problem.”
• Joint Mathematics Meetings (JMM)- Special Session on Advances in Operator Algebras. San Diego, CA, January 2018.
  “A von Neumann-type inequality with universal C*-algebras.”
• Brazos Analysis Seminar. University of Huston, November 2017:
  “Residually finite-dimensional C*-algebras and mapping telescopes.”
• Oberwolfach Mini-Workshop: MASAs and Automorphisms of C*-algebras 1738a. September 2017:
  “Finding elements in C*-algebras using mapping telescopes.”
• Noncommutative Geometry and Operator Algebras (NCGOA) Spring Institute. Vanderbilt, May 2017:
  “Finite Dimensionally Normed Elements in an RFD C*-algebra.”
• University of Virginia Operator Theory Seminar. August-September 2016:
  Four-Part Lecture Series: “The WEP, the LLP, and some related conjectures according to Kirchberg.” (Lecture Notes)

Service:

• Young Mathematicians in C*-algebras (YMC*A), WWU Münster, 2021
  Organizer
• Groundwork in Operator Algebras Lecture Series (GOALS)
  2020 (Online) and 2021 (Michigan State University)
  Organizer/ Lecturer
• Organizer: Focus Programme, “Operator algebras and topological dynamics: amenability and beyond”, WWU Münster, 2021
  Organizer
• Operator Algebras Mentor Network, 2019-present.
  Co-founder and Junior Mentor
• YMC*A 2019, University of Copenhagen
  Organizer
• Young Women in C*-algebras (YWC*A) 2018, KU Leuven
  Organizer
• Teaching for Diversity in Math Workshop, University of Virginia, 2017.
  Organizer
• University of Virginia Graduate Student Seminar, 2016-2018.
  Organizer
• Math Ambassadors Elementary School Outreach Program, University of Virginia, 2014- 2018.