PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Melanie Matchett Wood

Also known as Melanie Wood

Melanie Matchett Wood is a Harvard mathematician who works in number theory, and in September 2026 she joined an independent group that advises AI companies on how to responsibly release mathematical results. She is a professor of mathematics at Harvard University. At the International Mathematical Olympiad, she became the first female American on the United States team and won silver medals in 1998 and 1999. In 2021 she received the Waterman Award from the National Science Foundation, and in 2022 she became a MacArthur Fellow. The London Mathematical Society elected her an honorary member in 2025.

Works
70
Citations
912
h-index
17

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1998–1999

    Olympiad silver medals

    Becoming the first female American on the U.S. International Mathematical Olympiad team, she wins silver medals in 1998 and 1999.

  2. 2009

    A Princeton PhD

    In 2009 she completes her PhD at Princeton under Manjul Bhargava.

  3. 2011–2019

    Faculty at Wisconsin-Madison

    From 2011 to 2019, she serves on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

  4. Since 2020

    Professor at Harvard

    Joining Harvard's Department of Mathematics in 2020, she is a professor of mathematics there.

  5. 2021

    The Waterman Award

    The National Science Foundation names her one of two 2021 Alan T. Waterman Award recipients, the first woman to win the award in mathematics.

  6. 2022

    A MacArthur Fellowship

    In 2022 the MacArthur Foundation names her a Fellow for number theory research in arithmetic statistics, which develops probabilistic models of number-theoretic objects.

  7. 2025

    Honorary LMS membership

    In July 2025, the London Mathematical Society elects her an honorary member.

  8. September 2026

    An AI mathematics advisory group

    In September 2026, she joins the Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence, an independent group that advises AI companies on how to responsibly release mathematical results.

Sources and credits

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  1. Melanie Matchett Wood | Mathematics Research Center mrc.stanford.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Melanie Wood - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. Melanie Matchett Wood people.math.harvard.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Harvard mathematician Melanie Matchett Wood named MacArthur Fellow news.harvard.edu. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Harvard Professor Melanie Wood Becomes First Woman to Win Waterman Award in Mathematics thecrimson.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Melanie Matchett Wood - MacArthur Foundation macfound.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. LMS Honorary Members 2025 | London Mathematical Society lms.ac.uk. Checked 14 October 2026.
  8. Harvard Math Professor Joins Independent Group Advising AI Companies on Research Standards thecrimson.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  9. Advisory Group on Mathematics and Artificial Intelligence agmai.org. Checked 14 October 2026.