Alumni

Ingu Batyerreul • January 1, 2026

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School alum Lauren K. Williams has recently joined the nation’s most innovative thinkers after receiving the prestigious MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Grant. The award is one of the highest honors recognizing creativity and impact in any field. Each year, the MacArthur Fellowship is awarded to a select group of individuals who have shown exceptional originality and dedication in their work. Recipients are given a money sum over a timeline of a few years, giving them the freedom to research and pursue their projects.

Williams, who graduated Peninsula in 1996, is being recognized for her groundbreaking work in the mathematical field, specifically her work in connecting the positive Grassmannian, a topic in pure math, and the study of shallow water waves and scattering amplitudes in high energy. This recognition places Williams in an elite group of thinkers and innovators who are shaping the future of their fields.

As William’s work continues, the award represents more than just personal recognition. It is a testament to the value of creativity, perseverance and lifelong learning that Peninsula aims to teach their students. Williams praises the PVUSD school system that allowed her to accelerate in math classes, as well as Peninsula’s math programs that gave her a solid foundation in her interests.

Aside from classes, Williams was also very involved in school activities and clubs. Together with her friends, Christina Caron and Noelle Chao, Williams created the Literary Club in which they spend time discussing books that they read. Williams was also active in the school's Math Club. She shares that one of her vivid memories from her time at Peninsula was competing in math competitions such as the American Regions Math League in Las Vegas.

The MacArthur Fellowship is unique in that recipients cannot apply or be nominated directly. Instead, they are chosen anonymously by experts who identify individuals whose hard work demonstrated their success. True success, as Williams' journey shows, is not defined by awards or recognition, but by the persistence and curiosity that drove her to keep learning. Beyond her professional achievements, Williams has made it a priority to give back by sharing her knowledge and experiences with others.

“I think that at the beginning of my career as a mathematician, success meant discovering and proving the best possible theorems” Williams says, “Once I had tenure, I started to also prioritise mentoring students and postdoctoral fellows. By now I’ve advised 16 PhD students, many of whom are themselves math professors by now.”

Not only does she regularly mentor by offering guidance and encouragement to help them find their own voices and ideas, Williams is also much involved in the Cambridge Math Circle as well as Girls’ Angle, two local non-profit math organizations that provide children with creative mathematical experiences. Her commitment to education and mentorship reflects her belief that true innovation grows stronger when it's shared.

Reflecting on her journey, Williams shares advice to students who are chasing their passions and dreams also while taking care of themselves. William says that nowadays, with social media and people constantly being online, it is much harder to maintain one’s mental health than it used to be. Because of this, she particularly advises students to prioritise sleep, staying off their phones and devices as much as possible and spending time reading books.

Williams' story is a powerful reminder of how far curiosity and perseverance can take someone. From her beginnings at Peninsula to being recognized as a MacArthur “genius” Grant recipient, she continues to inspire others through her work. Her journey shows that success is not only about one’s individual achievements, but also using it to make an impact on others. For current Peninsula students, Williams’ story can stand as proof that big ideas are achievable and with enough passion and dedication, they can grow to change the world.