Aaron Lauda

Aaron Lauda is a Professor of Mathematics and Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southern California, with a joint appointment in the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He is a member of the USC Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology.

• Sc.D. in Mathematics, Cambridge University, 2021
• Ph.D. in Pure Mathematics, Cambridge University, 2006
• M.S. in Physics, University of California, Riverside, 2003
• B.S. in Pure Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, 2002

His research focuses on categorification, representation theory, low-dimensional topology, and topological quantum computation, bridging mathematics and theoretical physics. His work explores algebraic structures and their applications in quantum computing and knot theory.

Scientific awards and honors:

• Doctor of Science (ScD), University of Cambridge (2021)
• Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2019-2020)
• NSF CAREER award (2013 – 2019)
• Simons Fellow in Mathematics (2016-2017)
• Sloan Research Fellowship (2011 – 2013)
• USC Zumberge Research and Innovation Fund Award (2012-2013)
• Rayleigh-Knight prize (Spring 2005)

Lauda has held significant administrative roles, including Chair and Vice Chair of the Dornsife Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (DCAPT), and served as Dean’s Leadership Fellow for Natural Sciences & Mathematics. He has contributed to editorial boards for Journal of the London Mathematical Society and Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, and co-founded the Canada-Mexico-USA Conference in Representation Theory, Noncommutative Algebra, and Categorification.