 Mara Neusel was born in Stuttgart, Germany, one of two children of Günter and Aylâ (Helvacioglu) Neusel.In 2001 she became the fourth woman to earn the advanced degree "venia legendi" (Habilitation) in mathematics from the University of Göttingen, following in the footsteps of the first woman mathematician to be awarded the venia legend from Göttingen in 1919, Emmy Noether.Professor Neusel was the author of a research monograph, an advanced undergraduate text, and a memoir for the American Mathematical Society