Robert W Bell

Robert W. Bell is an Associate Professor at Michigan State University, holding joint appointments in Lyman Briggs College and the Department of Mathematics. He specializes in geometric group theory, with a focus on Artin groups, Coxeter groups, mapping class groups, and combinatorial games like cops and robbers on graphs. His research also explores CAT(0) spaces and undergraduate research initiatives. Bell has published extensively in top-tier journals and co-authored a chapter in the book Office Hours with a Geometric Group Theorist.

Teaching: Bell has taught courses such as Calculus III and Axiomatic Geometry. He actively participates in the Summer Undergraduate Research Institute in Experimental Mathematics (SURIEM), supported by NSF and NSA grants. Office hours are typically scheduled for Monday/Wednesday afternoons.

Research Highlights: Notable works include studies on surface subgroups in Artin groups, co-Hopfian properties of braid groups, and the cop number in graph theory. His 2017 paper on generalized Petersen graphs and 2016 article on SURIEM’s impact highlight his dual focus on theoretical and applied mathematics.

Awards: No specific honors are listed, though his contributions to geometric group theory and education are recognized through his publications and program leadership.