LAWRENCE — A University of Kansas math faculty member of Greek descent was recently honored with Greece’s top award for contributions to the field of mathematical analysis.
Dionyssis Mantzavinos, Bischoff-Stouffer Associate Professor of Mathematics, received the 2025 Nikolaos K. Artemiadis Award for Outstanding Research in Mathematical Analysis from the Academy of Athens, which is the highest intellectual establishment in Greece.
The academy was chartered 100 years ago with the mission of promoting the cultivation and advancement of the sciences, humanities and fine arts. Its Artemiadis award is given annually to mathematicians of Greek descent for an outstanding piece of original research in the broader field of mathematical analysis.
Mantzavinos was recognized for a groundbreaking research paper he co-wrote with another mathematician of Greek descent, Dimitrios Mitsotakis, an associate professor at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. Their article, “Extended Water Wave Systems of Boussinesq Equations on the Finite Interval: Theory & Numerical Analysis,” was published in the Journal de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées in 2023. The systems describe propagation of nonlinear and dispersive water waves of significant interest such as solitary and tsunami waves, according to the authors.
The scholars accepted the award in person in December 2025 at a special ceremony in Athens.
Mantzavinos said he was deeply honored to be recognized for the award.
“More than a personal accomplishment, I think of this award as honoring those who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of original, rigorous scientific research, especially during a time when such a task has become increasingly challenging,” he said.
Jennifer Roberts, David B. Pittaway Executive Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, said the award was a testament to Mantzavinos’ innovative research and was reflective of the great work being done across the College — and KU.
“We are thrilled to learn Dr. Mantzavinos has received Greece’s highest research distinction,” Roberts said. “When we talk about world-class research being conducted at KU, this is exactly what we mean.”
Mantzavinos said he had several people to thank for the achievement, starting with his co-author Mitsotakis, his research collaborators and students, his colleagues in the KU math department, and finally, his father, who instilled in him a love for mathematics.
He also expressed gratitude for the College, the National Science Foundation and the Simons Foundation for supporting and funding his research.
“This award demonstrates the importance of supporting original scientific research, including basic research that may take awhile before materializing into concrete results,” Mantzavinos said.