About
David Perkinson is a Professor of Mathematics at Reed College, where he holds a position in the Department of Mathematics. His research focuses on combinatorics, algebraic geometry, and discrete mathematics, with a particular emphasis on sandpile models, graph theory, and matroid theory.
He is the author of the textbook *Divisors and Sandpiles: An Introduction to Chip-Firing*, which explores the combinatorial theory of chip-firing on graphs. Perkinson has also developed software tools like the Sandpile Java App, which visualizes and analyzes the Abelian Sandpile Model.
He organizes the Cascade Lectures in Combinatorics (CALICO), a series of conferences funded by the National Science Foundation, aimed at fostering collaboration among researchers in combinatorics. His work bridges discrete mathematics with algebraic geometry, emphasizing connections between graph theory and geometric structures.
Perkinson teaches advanced courses in analysis and contributes to the academic community through his research on topics such as divisor theory on graphs, sandpile groups, and combinatorial game theory. His recent publications (2015–2024) address matroid theory, sandpile dynamics, and applications of algebraic methods to discrete systems.
