Associate Professor of Mathematics Christina Edholm has been named the 2026 Etta Z. Falconer Lecturer by the Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) and the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
The Falconer Lectureship is named in memory of Etta Zuber Falconer, who dedicated almost 40 years of her career teaching mathematics at Spelman College. The award celebrates women whose careers reflect excellence in mathematics alongside a sustained commitment to education, mentorship, and equity.
Edholm earned the prestigious recognition for her “her distinguished contributions to mathematical biology, her innovative approaches to broadening participation in mathematics, as well as her skill in delivering expository lectures,” the organizations state.
Focusing on invasive species control and epidemiological modeling, Edholm’s research bridges mathematics and biological systems. She has contributed to 20 peer-reviewed papers with 50 coauthors, many stemming from international and interdisciplinary collaborations, including work with African researchers and research communities supported by major mathematical organizations.
Through her work, she has gained a reputation for bringing together scholars across career stages in collaboration with one another. Her involvement in the Women in Mathematical Biology Research Community and Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Workshop Celebrating Diversity Working Group, as well as other national organizations, has showcased her commitment to outreach and social justice within the field.
Edholm developed a core mathematical biology course at Scripps where she supervised numerous undergraduate theses and research projects that have been published in notable research publications like SIAM Undergraduate Research Online. She received the Mary W. Johnson Faculty Scholarship Award for her commitment to integrating undergraduates into her research.