Lijie Chen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at UC Berkeley, where he is part of the Berkeley Theory Group. Previously, he was a Miller Research Fellow at UC Berkeley, hosted by Avishay Tal and Umesh Vazirani, and earned his Ph.D. from MIT under Ryan Williams. His research focuses on theoretical computer science, particularly computational complexity theory, with applications to quantum physics and AI safety. Education: Ph.D. in Computer Science from MIT (2022), B.Sc. from Yao Class at Tsinghua University. Research Interests: Complexity theory, quantum complexity, derandomization, circuit lower bounds, and foundational aspects of AI safety. Chen has made significant contributions to understanding fundamental questions in complexity theory, including circuit lower bounds and the connections between randomness and computation efficiency. His work often bridges theoretical insights with practical implications in quantum computing and algorithm design. Awards and Honors: Machtey Award for Best Student Paper (2019). Danny Lewin Best Student Paper Award (2019). Invited to SICOMP Special Issues for FOCS and STOC papers. He has organized workshops on complexity theory and derandomization, and his research has been recognized in venues like STOC, FOCS, and the Journal of the ACM.
Prof. Igors Gorbovickis is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the Department of Mathematics, School of Computer Science and Engineering, Constructor University (formerly Jacobs University Bremen). His research focuses on complex dynamical systems, including topics such as renormalization theory, bifurcation analysis, Julia sets, and applications to mathematical physics. He also contributes to discrete geometry, particularly exploring conjectures like the Kneser-Poulsen problem. His work bridges pure mathematics with interdisciplinary applications, emphasizing rigorous analysis of nonlinear systems and geometric configurations. Key areas of investigation include critical point accumulations, Hausdorff dimension estimates, and equidistribution phenomena in parameter spaces. Recent publications highlight advancements in understanding chaotic systems, circle maps, and the interplay between algebraic structures and dynamical behavior. Prof. Gorbovickis collaborates internationally, with co-authored papers appearing in journals like Advances in Mathematics , Ergodic Theory and Dynamical Systems , and Nonlinearity . His office is located at Research I, Room 128 on the Constructor University campus in Bremen, Germany.
Gil Kalai is a Professor of Mathematics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem since 1992, where he holds the Henry and Manya Noskwith Chair. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Yale University since 2004 in a long-term part-time visiting position. His academic career includes visiting positions at prestigious institutions including MIT, Cornell, IAS Princeton, Berkeley, Bell-labs, IBM, and Microsoft. Professor Kalai's research spans multiple areas within mathematics and theoretical computer science. His work in combinatorics encompasses geometric, probabilistic, and topological approaches. He has made significant contributions to the study of convex sets and polytopes, linear programming, and theoretical computer science. His influential 1988 paper with Kahn and Linial on Boolean functions pioneered applications of Fourier analysis in theoretical computer science. Kalai's research has evolved to include the application of Fourier analysis to thresholds, influences, symmetries, noise, percolation, and social choice. He has developed theories in algebraic shifting and studied face-numbers and other combinatorial invariants of polytopes. His work on the diameter of polytopes and randomized simplex algorithms has been influential in optimization theory. In 1993, his collaboration with Kahn produced a groundbreaking counterexample to Borsuk's Conjecture in 1325 dimensions. Professor Kalai's publications reveal a consistent focus on the intersection of combinatorics, geometry, and theoretical computer science. His work shows a progression from foundational combinatorial geometry to increasingly sophisticated applications of harmonic analysis in discrete mathematics. The recurring themes across his 30+ year career include Boolean functions, polytope theory, and probabilistic methods in combinatorics, demonstrating remarkable coherence in his research trajectory. 2016 European congress of Mathematics, plenary speaker 2013 ERC advanced grant 2012 Rothschild Prize 1994 International Congress of Mathematicians invited section talk, Zurich 1994 Fulkerson Prize 1993 Erdos Prize 1992 Polya Prize Though specific details of his advising are not provided in the source material, Kalai has written over 70 scientific papers and maintains an active research blog entitled "Combinatorics and More." His 2013 ERC advanced grant indicates significant research funding for his work. His extensive collaborations with researchers across multiple institutions suggest a robust research program with numerous PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, though specific names are not mentioned in the provided texts. Professor Kalai maintains active research connections across multiple institutions including Hebrew University, Yale, and various research centers worldwide. His work bridges pure mathematics and theoretical computer science, creating a unique interdisciplinary research environment that influences both fields.
Urs Lang is a Full Professor at the Department of Mathematics, ETH Zurich, where he has held a professorship since 2001. His academic journey began with mathematics studies at the University of Berne and the University of Freiburg i.Br., culminating in a doctoral degree focused on hyperbolic geometry and minimal surfaces. Education: University of Berne (undergraduate) University of Freiburg i.Br. (doctoral degree) Lang's research lies at the intersection of differential geometry , metric geometry , and geometric group theory . His work explores non-positive curvature spaces, geometric measure theory, and large-scale Lipschitz analysis. Recent publications examine combinatorial hyperbolicity, isoperimetric inequalities, and rank-rigidity phenomena. The publications overview reveals a consistent focus on geometric structures, including: Higher-rank hyperbolicity in singular spaces Convex geodesic bicombings Injective hulls in geometric group theory Nonlinear potential theory on hyperbolic metric spaces Lipschitz extension problems Curvature comparison theorems Lang actively contributes to academic discourse through editorial roles at journals like Geometry and Topology and Analysis and Geometry in Metric Spaces , as well as organizing major conferences including the 2025 Metric Analysis Trimester Program at Bonn's Hausdorff Institute.
Professor Katrin Tent is a distinguished mathematician specializing in mathematical logic at the University of Münster, where she holds a professorship in the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science within the Institute for Mathematical Logic and Foundations Research. She is an active researcher in Mathematics Münster, an investigator in CRC 1442 Geometry: Deformations and Rigidity, and contributes to multiple research projects including Topics in Mathematics Münster T3: Models and universes, T4: Groups and actions, and T8: Random discrete structures and their limits. PhD in Linguistics, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (1988) Diplom in Mathematics, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (1989) PhD in Mathematics, University of Notre Dame (1994) Habilitation, "Model theory of groups and BN-pairs" (2000) Professor Tent's research bridges model theory, group theory, and geometry, with particular focus on finite Morley rank structures, BN-pairs, and sharply multiply transitive groups. Her work often combines methods from these areas to prove unexpected results, either constructing groups or incidence geometries with surprising model theoretic properties or using model theory to construct new and interesting geometries or groups. Her recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory connecting model theory with group-theoretic structures. She has made significant contributions to understanding sharply 2- and 3-transitive groups, finite Morley rank geometries, and the model theory of generalized polygons. Her work demonstrates how model-theoretic techniques can solve deep problems in group theory and geometry, particularly through the study of BN-pairs and incidence structures. DFG Research Fellowship (1996-1998) Bayerischer Habilitationsförderpreis (1998-2001) Heisenberg-Stipendium (2001-2004) ERC Consolidator Grants expert panel (2016, 2018) Elected to DFG Senate (2019) Professor Tent leads an active research group with current members including Marco Amelio, Dr. Benjamin Brück, Anna Cascioli, Lukas Jonuska, Silke Meissner, Zahra Mohammadi Khangheshlaghi, and Dr. Sam Shepherd. Her former research group members include Dr. Simon Andre, Dr. Isabel Müller, and Dr. Tim Clausen, among others. Her supervisory work spans both theoretical foundations and specific applications in geometric group theory and model theory. Her research group operates within the Institute for Mathematical Logic and Foundations Research at the University of Münster, collaborating closely with other researchers in the Mathematics Münster cluster. The group participates in various projects including CRC 1442 - C04: Group theoretic aspects of negative curvature, contributing to the vibrant mathematical research environment at one of Germany's leading mathematics institutions.
Ron Peled is a Full Professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Tel Aviv University , currently on leave to serve as the Brin Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Maryland starting summer 2024. During 2022–2024 he was a Member at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study . Education & Career: While explicit degrees are not listed, his trajectory shows appointments at NYU (2009–2010), UC Berkeley and Tel Aviv University as a teaching assistant, followed by faculty positions culminating in full professorship. Research Interests: His work lies at the intersection of probability theory, statistical physics, and combinatorics . Key themes include: Disordered systems and random environments (random-field Ising, spin glasses) First-passage percolation and random metrics Random surfaces and height functions Loop models and critical phenomena Random matrices and band matrices Geometric probability and allocation problems Publications & Impact: With over 70 papers in top journals such as Annals of Mathematics , Annals of Probability , Inventiones Mathematicae , and Communications in Mathematical Physics , his recent work explores minimal surfaces in random environments, localization in random band matrices, and quantitative disorder effects in low-dimensional spin systems. Grants & Awards: Research has been continuously funded by: Israel Science Foundation (grants 1048/11, 861/15, 1971/19, 2340/23) ERC Starting Grant LocalOrder ERC Consolidator Grant Transitions Marie Skłodowska-Curie International Reintegration Grant SPTRF Teaching & Mentoring: Prof. Peled has taught a broad spectrum of courses at Tel Aviv University (Brownian motion, probability, percolation, random matrices, stochastic calculus) and NYU (combinatorics, discrete mathematics). He has supervised 13 post-doctoral fellows and 8 graduate students (PhD & MSc) to date. Service & Outreach: He co-organizes the Joint Israeli Probability Seminar and has organized numerous international workshops and conferences including at Oberwolfach, Technion, and Tel Aviv University.
Ioannis Z. Emiris is a Professor in the Department of Informatics & Telecoms at the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and concurrently serves as President and General Director of the ATHENA Research Center in Greece. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from Princeton University (1989) and a PhD in Computer Science from UC Berkeley (1994). His research spans computational geometry, algebraic algorithms, robotics, structural bioinformatics, and optimization. He is a leading expert in sparse elimination theory, geometric modeling, and algorithmic algebra. Affiliations: ATHENA Research Center, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, INRIA Sophia Antipolis (France via joint AROMATH team). Education: BSc (Princeton), PhD (UC Berkeley). Research Interests Emiris's work focuses on geometric algorithms, algebraic systems, and their applications. His contributions include advancements in sparse elimination theory, computational geometry for high-dimensional data, and robotics. He has developed algorithms for polynomial system solving, Voronoi diagrams, and geometric predicates for ellipses. Articles Overview His recent work bridges theoretical advances with practical applications, such as deep learning for protein structure prediction (HydraProt) and geometric algorithms for high-dimensional data analysis. He explores intersections between algebraic geometry and computational methods, with applications ranging from robotics to bioinformatics. Scientific Awards Best Paper Award at ISSAC 2003 and 2010 MSCA Network GRAPES (2019-2023) Advising & Grants Emiris has supervised numerous students and researchers, contributing to interdisciplinary projects. He has secured grants for initiatives like the GRAPES network and has led teams in algorithm design and geometric software development. His work on MARS (Maple/Matlab/C Resultant-Based Solver) exemplifies his focus on practical algorithm implementation. Labs & Teams He directs the Lab of Geometric & Algebraic Algorithms and collaborates with the AROMATH team at INRIA. His research group develops open-source tools for computational geometry and algebraic computations.
Alireza Salehi Golsefidy is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). He received his Ph.D. from Yale University under Gregory Margulis, a Fields Medalist. His research focuses on algebraic, arithmetic, and analytic properties of linear groups, homogeneous dynamical systems, and expander graphs. He has held positions at Princeton University and the Institute for Advanced Study as a Veblen Research Instructor before joining UCSD in 2011. Education: Ph.D. in Mathematics, Yale University (2006). Research Interests: His work bridges discrete subgroups of Lie groups, homogeneous dynamics, and number theory. Recent contributions include studies on super-approximation, spectral independence, and geometric group theory. He has organized workshops on thin groups, arithmetic groups, and homogeneous dynamics at MSRI and Oberwolfach. Grants & Awards: Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2012), Clay Liftoff Award (2006), NSF grants 1602137, 1902090, and 2302519. His research explores applications of expander graphs and random walks in algebraic structures. Teaching: Currently teaching Algebra (Math 200C) in Spring 2025. Past courses include advanced algebraic topology, representation theory, and graduate-level number theory. Labs/Teams: Co-organizes UCSD's Algebra Seminar and contributed to the 2013 Lie Theory Workshop. Active in collaborative projects on group actions and automorphic forms.
Prof. Dr. Thomas Schick is a Professor of Mathematics at the Mathematical Institute of the University of Göttingen, leading the vibrant research group in Topology and Geometry. His work focuses on areas such as index theory, K-theory of C*-algebras, and geometry and analysis. He is a core member of the Research Training Group 2491 'Fourier Analysis and Spectral Theory', serving as its speaker, and has supervised numerous doctoral students in topics ranging from persistent cohomology to spectral engineering. His academic journey includes a PhD from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (1996) under Wolfgang Lück, followed by postdoctoral positions at the University of Münster and Penn State University before joining Göttingen in 2001. He has held visiting roles at institutions worldwide. Prof. Schick is an Ordentliches Mitglied of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, and leads the Scientific Advisory Board of the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach. He edits several high-impact journals, including Annales Mathématiques Blaise Pascal and the Bulletin of the Iranian Mathematical Society. His research interests span topological and geometric analysis, with recent work exploring scalar curvature rigidity, T-duality, and coarse geometry. He regularly teaches advanced courses and seminars, including 'Index Theory and Theorems' and 'Topological Data Analysis', and actively mentors students through the RTG program.
Rekha R. Thomas is a Professor of Mathematics and Undergraduate Program Director at the University of Washington. She holds a Ph.D. in Operations Research from Cornell University (1994), with postdoctoral experience at Yale University and the Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum in Berlin. Her research focuses on optimization, applied algebraic geometry, and computer vision, with contributions to semidefinite programming, graphical designs, and geometric algorithms. She has held distinguished positions such as the Robert R. and Elaine F. Phelps Professorship (2008–2012) and the Robert B. Warfield Jr. Faculty Fellowship (2017–2020). Her work bridges theory and application, addressing challenges in computer vision, combinatorial optimization, and algebraic geometry. Notable contributions include advancements in multiview geometry, kernel learning, and the geometric analysis of rank-deficient matrices. She actively collaborates across disciplines, publishing extensively and supervising numerous graduate students and postdocs. Rekha also engages in academic leadership, mentoring students, and participating in international conferences. Her research has been recognized through invited talks at major events like the International Congress of Mathematicians (2018) and SIAM Annual Meetings. She continues to explore the intersections of algebraic geometry, optimization, and computational methods.
Donald Robertson is a Lecturer in Pure Mathematics at the University of Manchester, specializing in ergodic theory with applications to additive combinatorics. His work connects measurable dynamics with combinatorial number theory problems. Research explores ergodic properties of interval exchange transformations, sumset configurations in infinite sets, and equidistribution in homogeneous dynamics. Recent publications address Erdős' sumset conjecture (2022), saddle connection distributions (2023), and disjointness in measurable group actions. He teaches measure theory and ergodic theory courses, employing problem-based learning through weekly take-home tests. Coursework emphasizes Lebesgue integration, ergodic theorems, and connections between dynamics and combinatorics.
Mark Pollicott is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Warwick, where he has held positions since 1992 and 2005. He previously served at Edinburgh, Porto, and Manchester Universities, including a Fielden Chair. His research focuses on Thermodynamic Formalism, Ergodic Theory, and Dynamical Systems, with applications to geometry, number theory, and fractal analysis. Pollicott earned his BSc (1981) and PhD (1984) in Mathematics and Physics from Warwick, under the supervision of William Parry. He has held prestigious fellowships, including Royal Society and ERC grants, and organized major programs at the Newton Institute, CIB-Lausanne, and ICERM. He serves on editorial boards for journals like Nonlinearity and Journal of Fractal Geometry . His research explores topics such as fractal dimensions, geodesic flows, and validated numerics. Notable contributions include studies on the Hausdorff dimension of Cantor sets and Bernoulli convolutions. He has supervised 19 PhD students and mentored 18 postdoctoral researchers. Recent grants include EPSRC funding for computational ergodic theory and dynamical zeta functions. His work bridges pure mathematics with applications in geometry, analysis, and number theory. Awards: ERC Advanced Grant, EPSRC Leadership Fellowship, Royal Society Fellowships, Jean Morlet Chair Grants: EPSRC (2019-2025, 2026-2030), ERC (2019-2025) Collaborations: Co-organized programs on Thermodynamic Formalism and Dynamics at CIRM and Warwick
Sebastian Cioaba is a Professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Delaware (UD), part of the College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on spectral graph theory, algebraic combinatorics, and their applications. He earned his Ph.D. from Queen’s University (2005) and joined UD in 2009 after postdoctoral work at UC San Diego and the University of Toronto. Cioaba has advised 8 Ph.D., 4 M.Sc., and numerous undergraduate researchers, with current advisees including John Byrne and Isabel Byrne. His work is supported by NSF, NSA, and international grants. Education - B.Sc. Mathematics & Computer Science, University of Bucharest (Undergraduate) - Ph.D. Mathematics, Queen’s University (2005) Research & Awards - 2024 College of Arts & Sciences Award - Co-editor of Discrete Mathematics and Linear Algebra and its Applications - Over 70 publications and two books: A Bridge to Advanced Mathematics (2023) and A First Course in Graph Theory and Combinatorics (2022, 2nd ed.) Teaching & Service - Organized conferences in discrete mathematics - Supervised over 25 undergraduate and high school students in research projects Advising - Current Ph.D. students: John Byrne, Isabel Byrne, Colby Sherwood - Notable past advisees include Vishal Gupta (Ph.D. 2025, Rochester) and Dheer Noal (Ph.D. 2022, Memphis postdoc)
Tibor Szabó is a Professor in the Combinatorics and Graph Theory group at the Department of Mathematics, Freie Universität Berlin. He holds a PhD from The Ohio State University, advised by Ákos Seress. Prior to his current position, he held roles at McGill University, ETH Zürich, the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton), and the University of Illinois (UIUC) as a J.L. Doob Research Assistant Professor. Research Interests: His work focuses on combinatorics and combinatorial optimization, including extremal problems, random structures and algorithms, pseudorandom graphs, positional games, and the combinatorics of linear programming. He explores tools from algebra, probability theory, and topology applied to combinatorics. Teaching: He teaches courses such as Algorithmic Combinatorics, Extremal Combinatorics, and runs the Combinatorics Seminar. His lecture notes include works on positional games and explicit constructions in extremal combinatorics. Students & Postdocs: Notable PhD advisees include Yamaan Attwa, Silas Rathke, Simona Boyadzhiyska, and Patrick Morris. Postdoctoral fellows include Olaf Parczyk and Anurag Bishnoi. His research has involved collaborations with over 50 co-authors. Funding & Grants: Supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) and German Research Foundation (DFG), focusing on topics like positional games and extremal graph theory.
Dr Davoud Cheraghi Home is a Reader (Associate Professor) in Pure Mathematics at Imperial College London, affiliated with the Pure Analysis and PDEs and Geometry research groups. His research focuses on complex analysis and dynamical systems, particularly holomorphic maps, rigidity phenomena, and small divisors problems, bridging analysis, geometry, and combinatorics. He has organized numerous conferences and workshops, including events at Imperial College and the School of Mathematics in Tehran. Dr Cheraghi teaches advanced courses in geometric complex analysis, analysis, and dynamical systems at Imperial College, as well as at the University of Warwick and Stony Brook University. He has mentored PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, contributing significantly to the field through his publications and collaborations. His research interests encompass geometric analysis (quasi-conformal mappings, elliptic PDEs), renormalization operators, and low-dimensional analytic dynamics. Notable publications include studies on irrationally indifferent attractors, Siegel polynomials, and combinatorial rigidity. Dr Cheraghi’s work is supported by extensive teaching and mentorship activities, reflecting his commitment to advancing both research and education in pure mathematics.
