Much of what we observe in our environment can also be described mathematically. Observations from the fields of biology and physics, in particular, can be represented using differential equations or probability theory. In her dissertation, Alexandra Holzinger investigated how these two fields—probability theory and partial differential equations—can be linked to provide an even better description of a system.

For this work, she was awarded the Hannspeter Winter Prize, worth €10,000, on January 19, 2024. The research prize is awarded annually to a female graduate who has completed her doctorate at TU Wien. The prize recognizes outstanding scientific achievements by women in the fields of research and technology.
Combining Two Methods

So-called “mean-field derivations” of partial differential equations can be used to describe how a density function changes depending on location and time. In practice, such a function can be used, for example, to describe how a gas is distributed in space. To make the most accurate statements possible about the propagation of particles, two perspectives are mathematically combined: the microscopic and the macroscopic levels. “While at the microscopic level we examine how individual particles that interact with one another behave, at the macroscopic level we consider