Maryam Mirzakhani Science Achievement Graduate Scholarship in Mathematics

Hannah Rocio Santa Cruz, graduate student in mathematics, is interested in Algebraic and Topological problems. At Penn State, she hopes to do research with applications to Neuroscience. She has also worked on applications to Quantum Computing and on classical Polynomial problems. Santa Cruz earned a bachelor's degree at the Univerity of Guanajuato in Mexico, where she was an active member of the community, encouraging undergraduate students to pursue research abroad and High School students to begin a mathematical career. Her hopes are to become a strong mentor to the younger generations while pursuing a career in teaching and researching.