Anna Korba Awarded the 2026 CNRS Bronze Medal
Anna Korba, Hi! PARIS Affiliate, has been awarded the 2026 CNRS Bronze Medal, recognizing her outstanding contributions at the intersection of mathematics, statistics, and artificial intelligence.
A researcher at CREST, her work focuses on optimization in probability measure spaces, combining tools from optimal transport, kernel methods, and statistical learning. Her research has led to significant theoretical advances, with strong applications in sampling methods and generative models, both central to modern machine learning.
These approaches contribute to improving how models capture uncertainty, a key challenge for deploying AI systems in real-world environments.
“I develop mathematical tools to help computers learn from data.”
— Anna Korba
Her work also opens perspectives across a wide range of domains, from computational biology to creative industries, where generative models play an increasing role. In 2025, she was awarded an ERC Starting Grant for her project OptInfinite, which aims to develop a unified framework for designing and evaluating efficient sampling methods in high-dimensional and complex settings.
Beyond her scientific contributions, this distinction also highlights her active engagement within the research community and the collaborative environment in which her work evolves.
“People sometimes think research is only for geniuses, but that’s not the case. Curiosity, a taste for questioning, and perseverance matter far more in a scientific career.”
— Anna Korba
This recognition reflects the excellence and interdisciplinarity of research at the interface of mathematics and AI, which are central to the mission of Hi! PARIS.