Cornelia Van Cott

Dr. Cornelia Van Cott is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of San Francisco, where she holds the Honors College Faculty Chair in the Sciences. Her research specializes in geometric topology with emphasis on knot theory, surface topology, and connections between three- and four-dimensional manifolds.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Mathematics, Indiana University (2008)

Her research examines topological invariants of knots and surfaces, with recent work focusing on nonorientable genus computations, double twist knots, and combinatorial aspects of card shuffling. She develops new methods for calculating crosscap numbers and analyzes knot polynomials to address long-standing conjectures in low-dimensional topology. Her applied work includes mathematical modeling of environmental residue accumulation.

Publications frequently appear in topology journals and mathematical education outlets, with recent articles exploring connections between permutation groups and shuffling techniques. Her research demonstrates consistent innovation in computational knot theory and effective communication of complex mathematical concepts through recreational mathematics.

Awards and Honors:

• Three-time Trevor Evans Award recipient (2017, 2021, 2024) for expository writing in Math Horizons
• Honors College Faculty Chair in the Sciences

She directs undergraduate research projects in knot theory and combinatorics, and has developed outreach programs at MathPath and Epsilon Camp for mathematically gifted youth. Future work will continue investigating knot genus relationships and developing accessible mathematical enrichment materials.