Ricky Ini Liu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Washington. Previously, he held positions at North Carolina State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Minnesota. He earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from MIT in 2010 under Alexander Postnikov. His research focuses on algebraic combinatorics, particularly its intersections with algebraic geometry, combinatorial geometry, and representation theory. Key interests include Schubert polynomials, polytopes, Hopf algebras, and Kronecker coefficients. He has contributed to foundational work on birational rowmotion, Gelfand-Tsetlin polytopes, and Fomin-Kirillov algebras. Liu has taught a wide range of courses at UW, including special topics in dynamical algebraic combinatorics, combinatorial theory, and problem-solving. He has also been a key instructor at the Mathematical Olympiad Summer Program since 2007 and mentored undergraduates in research programs at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. His publications span high-impact journals like Selecta Mathematica and Journal of Combinatorial Theory , with recent work addressing topics such as determinantal formulas for Schubert polynomials and applications of flow polytopes to diagonal harmonics. Though no specific awards are listed, his extensive publication record and academic roles reflect significant contributions to combinatorial mathematics.
Eric Larson is an Associate Professor at Brown University's Department of Mathematics, specializing in algebraic geometry. His research focuses on moduli spaces, Brill-Noether theory, and algebraic curves. He collaborates with notable mathematicians such as Isabel Vogt and Izzet Coskun on topics like normal bundles, Chow rings, and stability conditions. Larson actively engages in academic outreach, organizing Putnam competition practices and undergraduate colloquia. He has developed computational tools for studying elliptic curves' Galois representations and contributed to expository works on interpolation problems and LaTeX accessibility.
Mircea Mustata is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on singularities of algebraic varieties and their role in higher-dimensional geometry, with significant work on invariants like log canonical thresholds, minimal log discrepancies, multiplier ideals, and Hodge ideals derived from Saito's mixed Hodge modules. He collaborates extensively, notably with Mihnea Popa on Hodge ideals and with other researchers on topics such as square-free polynomials and F-thresholds. Contact: 3064 East Hall, mmustata@umich.edu Education: Ph.D. from UC Berkeley (2001) Research Interests: Mustata's work bridges algebraic geometry and singularity theory, utilizing tools from resolutions of singularities, jet schemes, D-modules, and positive characteristic methods. His long-term collaboration with Popa explores Hodge ideals, while other projects address Du Bois complexes, stable rationality, and cohomological dimension. Teaching: Courses include Algebraic Geometry I/II, D-modules, commutative algebra, and advanced linear algebra. Lecture notes for topics like toric varieties, rationality, and cohomology are publicly available. Editorial & Organizational Roles: Managing editor of the Michigan Mathematical Journal and member of editorial boards for Compositio Mathematica, Journal de l'École polytechnique-Mathématiques, and Journal of Singularities. Organized events like the Spring School in Ann Arbor and conferences on algebraic geometry.
Robert Ghrist is the Andrea Mitchell University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania with dual appointments in the Department of Mathematics and the Department of Electrical and Systems Engineering. He serves as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education for Penn Engineering. His educational background includes a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo (1991), and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Applied Mathematics from Cornell University (1994, 1995). Ghrist's research bridges pure and applied mathematics, focusing on applied algebraic topology , dynamical systems , and geometric methods in data science. His work extends to network theory, topological data analysis, and computational geometry, with applications spanning robotics, neuroscience, and social dynamics. Key innovations include developing sheaf-theoretic approaches for networked systems and persistence homology techniques for high-dimensional data. Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on lattice-theoretic frameworks , topological robotics , and network dynamics , with emerging applications in neural data interpretation and geometric computing. His research consistently integrates category theory with real-world engineering challenges. Significant scientific recognition includes: Presidential Early Career Award (PECASE, 2004) Scientific American 'Top 50' Research Leader (2007) Mathematical Association of America's Chauvenet Prize (2013) University of Pennsylvania Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (2015) DoD National Security Science and Engineering Faculty Fellowship (NSSEFF, 2015) Ghrist leads multiple federally funded research initiatives supported by AFOSR, DARPA, NSF, and ONR. He directs the development of educational tools including the Calculus BLUE/GREEN Project video series and custom GPTs for mathematical pedagogy. His open online courses have reached over 100,000 learners globally.
Brian Lawrence is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, currently on leave as of 2025. Previously, he held positions at UCLA, the University of Chicago, and Columbia University, following doctoral studies at Stanford University under Akshay Venkatesh. His educational background includes: PhD in Mathematics from Stanford University (advisor: Akshay Venkatesh) Lawrence's research centers on arithmetic geometry, specializing in Diophantine problems through p-adic methods. His work develops innovative approaches to Mordell's conjecture, Shafarevich-type results, and rational point distribution using p-adic Hodge theory, étale cohomology, and period mappings. He bridges theoretical number theory with computational frameworks, particularly in algorithmic solutions for Diophantine equations. His publication trends reveal sustained focus on foundational Diophantine geometry problems, with recent work emphasizing conditional algorithms for the Mordell problem and sparsity phenomena in integral points. Collaborations with leading mathematicians like Venkatesh and Sawin demonstrate interdisciplinary engagement across number theory and algebraic geometry. Lawrence actively mentors undergraduate researchers, supervising projects on resultants, Hodge theory, and symmetric polynomials by students including Pramana Saldin, Yuchen Chen, Anuj Sakarda, and Spencer Dembner. His organizational roles include founding the Crystalline Cohomology seminar at Columbia and co-organizing the University of Chicago Number Theory Seminar, fostering collaborative research environments. He contributes extensively through expository notes on schemes, polynomials on lattices, and Fibonacci numbers modulo p, reflecting commitment to mathematical education and knowledge dissemination across multiple institutions.
Bei Wang Phillips is an Associate Professor in the School of Computing and a faculty member at the Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute at the University of Utah. She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Duke University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Bridgeport. Her research focuses on Topological Data Analysis (TDA), data visualization, computational topology, and machine learning, with applications in scientific data exploration and analysis. She has received prestigious awards including the NSF CAREER Award (2022) and the PECASE Award (2025). Her work spans projects funded by NSF, NIH, and DOE, including multiparameter TDA and topology-aware data compression. She advises numerous students and collaborates on interdisciplinary initiatives in astrophysics, climate science, and AI fairness. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science, Duke University (2010) B.S. in Computer Science and Mathematics, University of Bridgeport (2003) Research Interests: Topological techniques for large-scale data analysis Integration of topological, geometric, and machine learning methods Applications in visualization, bioinformatics, and network analysis Key Projects: NSF-funded TDA research (DMS-2301361, OAC-2313124) DOE project on topology-preserving data compression Collaborations with NASA, Argonne National Lab, and Carnegie Institution of Washington Awards: Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (2025) NSF CAREER Award (2022) DOE Early Career Research Program (2020) Advising and Grants: Mentored over 30 students and postdocs Recipient of multiple NSF and DOE grants totaling millions
Sug Woo Shin is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley ( Math Genealogy , MathSciNet Profile ). His research focuses on Number Theory and Automorphic Forms, with significant contributions to the Langlands Program, Shimura varieties, and cohomology of arithmetic spaces. Editorial roles: Astérisque , Manuscripta Mathematica , Journal of the Korean Mathematical Society Recent research explores cohomological properties of locally symmetric spaces, tempered A-packets for classical groups, and modularity of symplectic Galois representations Collaborators include Ana Caraiani, Mark Kisin, Arno Kret, and Peter Scholze He has supervised PhD theses on topics like affine Deligne-Lusztig varieties, specialization maps in Scholze's category of diamonds, and statistical properties of automorphic representations. Teaching includes graduate courses on Number Theory (254A/254B), undergraduate Linear Algebra (110), and Calculus (1A), as well as seminars on global Langlands reciprocity and p-adic cohomology theories. Co-organized conferences include the BIRS workshop on Langlands programs (2025), PRIMA algebraic number theory sessions (2022), and KAST Symposium on automorphic forms (2021). His work appears in journals like Annals of Mathematics, Duke Mathematical Journal, and Compositio Mathematica.
Jacob Fox is a Professor at Stanford University, specializing in Combinatorics and Probability. His research focuses on extremal combinatorics, Ramsey theory, graph theory, and additive combinatorics. He advises students like Maya Sankar. His work explores structural and enumerative aspects of graphs, hypergraphs, and combinatorial configurations. Recent studies include advancements in Ramsey numbers, sumset theory, and probabilistic methods in discrete mathematics. Key research areas include Ramsey numbers for sparse structures, hypergraph properties, and applications of combinatorial geometry. His publications often bridge theoretical insights with algorithmic applications. No scientific awards are listed in the provided text. His advising includes Maya Sankar, with research aligned to combinatorial problems. Collaborative projects involve extremal graph theory and probabilistic combinatorics. No labs or dedicated research groups are explicitly mentioned.
Tasho Kaletha is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on the Langlands program, intersecting number theory, representation theory, algebraic geometry, and analysis. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (2010). Key research interests include representation theory of reductive groups, harmonic analysis, Galois cohomology, and automorphic representations. Education: Ph.D., University of Chicago (2010). Research interests revolve around the Langlands conjectures, endoscopy, and the structure of reductive groups. His work addresses representation theory of real/p-adic groups, cohomology of Galois groups, and automorphic spectra. Recent publications explore Bruhat-Tits theory, discrete series L-packets, and global rigid inner forms. He has authored a monograph with Gopal Prasad and contributed to foundational papers in Duke Mathematical Journal and Inventiones Mathematicae . Notable contributions include studies on supercuspidal L-packets, endoscopic classification, and commensurability growth in algebraic groups. His work bridges abstract algebraic structures with analytic techniques, advancing the Langlands program's goals.
Jelani Nelson is a Professor and Department Chair in the UC Berkeley EECS Department (College of Engineering). His work focuses on theoretical computer science , particularly algorithms , data streams , dimensionality reduction , and privacy-preserving computation . Advising : Current students include Ishaq Aden-Ali, Xin Lyu, Mihir Singhal, and Hongxun Wu (co-advised with leading researchers). Education : PhD from MIT (George M. Sprowls Award), M.Eng from MIT. Research Highlights : Developed foundational results in Johnson-Lindenstrauss dimensionality reduction (optimality, sparse embeddings). Advancements in differential privacy (lower bounds, private mean estimation, threshold learning). Pioneering work on streaming algorithms for heavy hitters, norm estimation, and graph problems. Innovations in compressed sensing and oblivious subspace embeddings . Scientific Awards : PODS Best Paper Award (2011, 2022) IBM Pat Goldberg Memorial Best Paper Award (2011) George M. Sprowls Award for MIT doctoral thesis (2009) NeurIPS 2020 Spotlight Presentation
Mark D. Haiman is a Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Department of Mathematics, with research interests spanning algebra, combinatorics, and algebraic geometry. His work connects symmetric function theory with geometric objects like Hilbert schemes and algebraic structures such as Cherednik algebras and Hecke algebras. Appointed: 2001 Contact: mhaiman@math.berkeley.edu Teaching: Math 256B—Algebraic Geometry (Spring 2025), Math 249—Algebraic Combinatorics (Spring 2024), and others in calculus and Lie groups. Research Interests : Haiman's research focuses on Macdonald polynomials, LLT polynomials, Hilbert schemes of points in the plane, and their combinatorial and geometric implications. His work includes resolving the Macdonald positivity conjecture and the n! conjecture through algebraic geometry. Publications : Haiman has contributed to foundational papers in combinatorial and algebraic structures, including generalizations of the shuffle theorem and positivity results for LLT polynomials. His articles often bridge representation theory, symmetric functions, and geometric methods. Students : He has supervised numerous PhD students, including Magda Hlavacek (2023), Foster Tom (2022), Jeremy Meza (2021), Maryam Farahmand-Asil (2018), Maria Monks Gillespie (2016), and others working on combinatorial algebraic geometry and related fields.
Fatma Kılınç-Karzan is an Associate Professor of Operations Research at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business, with a courtesy appointment as Associate Professor of Computer Science. She is also affiliated with the Algorithms Combinatorics and Optimization (ACO) PhD Program and was a Visiting Scientist at Berkeley's Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing during Fall 2017. Her educational background includes a PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology's H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial & Systems Engineering with a minor in Mathematics, supervised by Prof. Arkadi Nemirovski. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from the Industrial Engineering Department of Middle East Technical University with a minor in Information Systems. Dr. Kılınç-Karzan's research spans mathematical optimization with emphasis on convex and non-convex optimization theory, algorithms, and applications. Her work bridges theoretical foundations with practical implementations in optimization under uncertainty (robust optimization, chance constraints, distributionally robust optimization), machine learning (preference learning from limited data), and business analytics. She develops foundational theory for large-scale optimization problems with applications in decision making under uncertainty and high-dimensional statistical inference. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on convex hull characterizations, semidefinite programming relaxations, distributionally robust optimization, and online convex optimization frameworks. Her work demonstrates increasing integration of optimization theory with machine learning applications, particularly in developing data-driven approaches for decision making under uncertainty. NSF CAREER Award (2015) INFORMS Optimization Society Young Researcher Prize (2015) INFORMS Junior Faculty Interest Group (JFIG) Best Paper Award (2014) BP Junior Faculty Chair (2014-2015) Faculty Giving Chair (2012-2013) Wimmer Fellowship (2012-2013) Dr. Kılınç-Karzan has successfully mentored numerous PhD students who have received prestigious awards, including the 2021 INFORMS Optimization Society Best Student Paper (1st prize) and multiple honorable mentions. Her research has been supported by significant grants including an NSF CAREER Award, an ONR grant (with S. Küçükyavuz), and an AFOSR grant. She serves on editorial boards for Mathematical Programming, Operations Research, Mathematics of Operations Research, and other leading journals, and has held leadership positions in professional societies including the Mathematical Optimization Society and INFORMS Computing Society. Through her affiliations with CMU's Tepper School, Computer Science Department, and ACO Program, she collaborates across disciplines to advance optimization theory and its applications. Her professional service includes committee chair roles for major INFORMS competitions and program committee leadership for international optimization conferences.
Professor Dinesh S. Thakur holds the position of Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Rochester. He earned his PhD from Harvard University and has made significant contributions to number theory, arithmetic geometry, and function field arithmetic. His research focuses on developing theories related to zeta functions, Drinfeld modules, and p-adic analysis in finite characteristic environments. Education: PhD in Mathematics, Harvard University Research Interests: Thakur’s work integrates advanced topics such as elliptic curves, modular forms, Diophantine equations, and the arithmetic of function fields. He has pioneered studies on multizeta values, p-adic continued fractions, and the distribution of Diophantine exponents in finite characteristic. His research bridges classical number theory with modern algebraic geometry and p-adic analysis. Teaching & Mentorship: Thakur has taught a wide range of courses, including graduate-level topics in function field arithmetic, algebraic geometry, and number theory. He has advised 11 PhD students and several master’s students, whose theses span themes like elliptic Carmichael numbers, Drinfeld modular forms, and multizeta relations. Notable advisees include Javier Diaz-Vargas (1996), George Todd (2015), and Yao-Rui Yeo (2021). Outreach & Contributions: Thakur participates in initiatives like the Arizona Winter School and Olympiad training programs in India. He maintains an active seminar series at UR on topics such as L-values, Fermat’s Last Theorem, and automatic sequences. His work is accessible through his personal page and MathSciNet.
Aise Johan de Jong is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Columbia University, where he teaches courses including representations of finite groups and organizes the algebraic geometry seminar. He is a leading figure in algebraic geometry with a particular focus on stacks theory and arithmetic aspects of algebraic varieties. Institution: Columbia University, Department of Mathematics Research Focus: Algebraic stacks, arithmetic geometry, moduli spaces Major Project: The Stacks Project (open-source collaborative textbook) De Jong's research primarily centers on algebraic stacks, arithmetic geometry, and the foundations of algebraic geometry. His work bridges abstract theoretical frameworks with concrete computational aspects, particularly in positive characteristic. He has made significant contributions to understanding Brauer groups, period-index problems, and the geometry of moduli spaces. His research often connects number theory with geometric structures, exploring how arithmetic properties manifest in geometric settings. His publication record shows a consistent focus on fundamental structures in algebraic geometry, with particular emphasis on stacks theory (evident in The Stacks Project), Brauer groups, rational connectivity, and arithmetic properties of algebraic varieties. The trajectory of his work demonstrates increasing sophistication in handling complex geometric structures while maintaining connections to arithmetic questions. His most recent work continues to explore the interplay between algebraic geometry and number theory, particularly through the lens of stacks and moduli spaces. De Jong actively mentors graduate students, with numerous descendants listed in the Mathematics Genealogy Project. His academic lineage includes researchers working across various subfields of algebraic geometry. He has organized multiple conferences including "Moduli spaces and moduli stacks" (2012) and "Spaces of curves and their interaction with diophantine problems" (2009), demonstrating his leadership in the field. He leads The Stacks Project, a major collaborative open-source initiative that has become an essential reference for algebraic geometers worldwide. This project provides comprehensive foundations for algebraic stacks and related concepts, with regular updates and community contributions. De Jong also maintains the Stacks Project Blog where he discusses mathematical topics related to the project and shares updates.
Caterina Consani is a Professor of Mathematics at Johns Hopkins University's Krieger School of Arts & Sciences. She holds a PhD from the University of Chicago (1996) and a Dottore di Ricerca in Matematica from the Universities of Genoa and Turin (1993). Her research focuses on arithmetic geometry, non-commutative geometry, and the development of absolute geometry over the 'absolute point.' She has contributed to foundational work on the BC-system, the Arithmetic Site, and the Scaling Site, linking number theory with geometric frameworks. Education: PhD in Mathematics, University of Chicago (1996); Dottore di Ricerca in Matematica, Universities of Genoa & Turin (1993). Prior to Johns Hopkins, she taught at MIT (1996–1999) and the University of Toronto (1999–2005). Research Interests: Arithmetic geometry, non-commutative geometry, absolute geometry in characteristic one, connections to number theory and the Riemann Hypothesis. Collaborations include work with Alain Connes on adele class spaces and non-commutative algebraic geometry. Awards: Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2024); 2025 Best Paper AOFA Award (Annals of Functional Analysis). Editorial roles include the Journal of Number Theory and Journal of Noncommutative Geometry. Teaching: Offers advanced courses in algebraic geometry and number theory, including topics like étale cohomology and the yoga of weights in 'Weil II.' Grants: Supported by the Simons Foundation. Organized major conferences such as the JAMI Conference on Riemann-Roch in Characteristic One (2019).
