2026 Distinguished Alumni Award: Heather Harrington
Heather Harrington '06 BS is a recipient of a 2026 College of Natural Sciences (CNS) Distinguished Alumni Award.
Harrington is an internationally recognized mathematician whose research combines algebra, geometry, topology, and mathematical modeling to advance the understanding of biological systems. She currently serves as scientific director of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and the Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD) in Germany, as well as a professor of mathematics at the University of Oxford.
Harrington began her academic journey at CNS, where she earned a BS in Applied Mathematics, summa cum laude, in 2006.
“I am extremely honoured to receive this award,” expressed Harrington. “During my time at UMass Amherst, I had the privilege of learning from outstanding professors, several of whom have continued to mentor and support me throughout my career. I am especially grateful to Professors Nate Whitaker and Panos Kevrekidis for the opportunity to spend a summer carrying out mathematical biology research with them during a Research Experience for Undergraduates. That experience changed my career path from medical school to graduate school in mathematics. Throughout my career, they have remained generous and thoughtful mentors. I am also hugely indebted to Professor Susan Whitbourne, at the Office of National Scholarship Advisement, for believing in me and planting the seed for me to study in England. The time she invested in teaching me how to write research proposals and prepare me for interviews has translated to applications throughout my career.”
During her time on campus, she finished among the top five students in mathematics and received several honors, including a Goldwater Scholarship, the Massachusetts Women in Public Higher Education Outstanding Achievement Award, and the Student Leadership Award.
Outside of her studies, Harrington valued the less-tangible lessons she learned while rowing for the UMass Women’s Crew Team: “As much as I enjoyed those days in the Lederle Graduate Research Tower, I also loved the mornings on the Connecticut River,” she recalled. “My time rowing with UMass Women’s Crew taught me so much about life—how to be strong, stoic and, above all, to show up. I’m delighted to share this recognition with the many people at UMass who shaped who I am today."
She went on to earn her PhD in Mathematics from Imperial College London in 2010, where her doctoral research examined mathematical models of cellular decisions, including immune response and apoptosis.
Following her doctoral studies, Harrington began her academic career as a postdoctoral research associate in theoretical systems biology at Imperial College London before joining the University of Oxford. At Oxford, she progressed through research and faculty positions, including an EPSRC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, a Royal Society University Research Fellowship and then Full Professor.
Her research has explored mathematical approaches to biological networks, model identification, and topological data analysis, with applications to areas including cancer biology, cellular systems, and biomedical research. Her work has been supported by major competitive research grants, including funding for application-driven topological data analysis and computational topology and geometry for systems biology.
Harrington's contributions to mathematics and the life sciences have been recognized through several prestigious honors, including the London Mathematical Society Whitehead Prize in 2018, the University of Cambridge Adams Prize in 2019, and the Philip Leverhulme Prize in Mathematics and Statistics in 2020. Beyond her research, she has demonstrated a sustained commitment to teaching, mentoring, professional service, and outreach. Her leadership includes establishing Mathematics as a new discipline at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany, mentoring researchers at multiple career stages, and supporting initiatives designed to broaden participation in mathematics and the sciences.
“The College is incredibly proud to call Dr. Harrington one of its alumni," said CNS Dean Mike Fox. “She has been a pioneer in advancing interdisciplinary studies at the interface of mathematics and life science, employing applied algebra, topological data analysis, and modeling to extract meaningful data from biological systems. Her work serves as an exemplar for demonstrating the importance of training scientists to apply multiple tools and disciplines to solve important problems.
“As the College continues to push our strategic goal of providing experiential learning opportunities for all of our majors, it is particularly meaningful to hear Dr. Harrington’s message that an independent summer research opportunity with two of our star faculty in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics fostered her scientific curiosity and helped set her on a trajectory for such an impactful career.”