Sapere Aude grant to Kristin Gabe from Department of Mathematics and Computer Science
With the support from Independent Research Fund Denmark, Kristin Gabe will explore the hidden architecture of quantum systems
How do you understand something infinite? This is one of the fundamental questions that Assistant Professor Kristin Courtney Gabe at the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Southern Denmark, seeks to answer with her new research projectClassification and Dynamics: Beyond the Limit.
The project has just been awarded a prestigious Sapere Aude: DFF-Research Leader grant from Independent Research Fund Denmark (DFF) of DKK 6.334.848 – one of Denmark’s most competitive grants for outstanding young researchers with the potential to establish their own internationally leading research groups.
Kristin works in the field of operator algebras – these are abstract mathematical structures that form part of the mathematical foundation of quantum physics and emerging quantum technologies. While the simplest examples can be described using finite matrices, many of the phenomena researchers wish to understand require infinitely many dimensions.
The significance of basic research
A classic example of the value of fundamental mathematics can be found in the development of modern electronics. The quantum theories developed in the early 20th century – together with the mathematical frameworks created to understand them – later became the foundation for the transistor, the tiny device that powers virtually every modern computer, smartphone, and digital technology. It is a reminder that abstract mathematical discoveries can have transformative impacts on society, even many decades after they are first made.
A new way
“But how do we study infinity? Just as we can understand a complex building by studying its individual bricks, we can understand an infinite mathematical object through its finite building blocks,” explains Kristin.
In recent research, she has developed a new way of constructing large classes of infinite-dimensional operator algebras from finite-dimensional matrices connected by so-called quantum channels.
With the Sapere Aude project, she will investigate how these finite pieces can reveal unique mathematical fingerprints and hidden symmetries in the infinite structures they create.
The long-term ambition
The long-term ambition is to deepen our understanding of the mathematical structures underlying quantum theory and quantum information, while also opening new avenues in the classification of objects that model phenomena in both the quantum and classical realm.
At a time when quantum technologies are expected to transform fields ranging from computing to cybersecurity, fundamental research into the mathematical structures behind quantum theory remains essential. While the impact of theoretical mathematics may not be immediate, it provides the conceptual framework that enables future scientific and technological advances.
In 2024, Kristin Gabe received an Inge Lehmann grant from the Independent Research Fund Denmark of just over DKK 3.1 million. Read more here.
In 2026, DFF has awarded DKK 249 million to 40 new Sapere Aude DFF–Research Leaders. The projects span a broad range of topics, including ADHD, pregnancy loss, new medicines for rare diseases, improved plant-based foods, and making the most of AI.
Meet the researcher
Kristin Gabe is an Assistant Professor in the group Analysis at Department of Mathematics and Computer Science