Find Academic Supervisors

Elena Mäder-BaumdickerView profile

Professor

• Differential Geometry
• Geometric Variational Problems
• Minimal Surfaces
• +4 more

Prof. Dr. Elena Mäder-Baumdicker holds a Tenure Track position in Geometry at TU Darmstadt since 2019. She was previously a postdoc at KIT and conducted research at Princeton University. Currently, she is organizing conferences such as the BIRS workshop on Non-linear Critical Point Theory and the Women in Geometry 3 conference. Her research focuses on global and local questions in differential geometry, particularly geometric variational problems involving minimal surfaces and Willmore surfaces. She has supervised two active PhD students (Nils Neumann and Jona Seidel), along with several Master’s and Bachelor’s theses. She is a member of the SPP 2026 'Geometry at infinity' and actively engages in academic outreach, including the Meet&Math initiative and public lectures for school students. Her teaching includes courses on differential geometry and seminars on geometric analysis. Education: PhD in Mathematics (2014, Freiburg), Diploma in Mathematics (2010, Freiburg) Research Interests: Minimal Surfaces, Willmore Surfaces, Geometric Flows (e.g., Mean Curvature Flow), Alexandrov Spaces, Variational Problems in Geometry Recent Conferences: Co-organizer of the Ernst Kuwert 60th Birthday Conference (2021), Geometric Analysis meets Geometric Topology (2019), and multiple BIRS events (2023–2025) Grants & Fellowships: DFG-funded research position (2017–2019), Leopoldina Fellowship (2018–2019) Labs/Teams: Leads the 'Variational Problems in Geometry' team at Women in Geometry 3, co-runs the RMU Seminar 'Solution Concepts in PDEs' Her work emphasizes the interplay between geometric analysis and topology, with a focus on singularities in geometric flows and applications of variational methods. She actively participates in promoting gender equality in academia through her role in the AK-Gleichstellung committee.

Karin NachbagauerView profile

Professor

• Multibody System Dynamics
• Numerical Mathematics
• Inverse Dynamics
• +3 more

Karin Nachbagauer is a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria, affiliated with the Faculty for Engineering's Mechanical Engineering Department. She holds a Hans Fischer Fellowship at the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (since 2020). Her research focuses on multibody system dynamics, numerical mathematics, optimal control, and inverse dynamics, with applications in mechanical engineering and robotics. She earned her PhD in Engineering Sciences (2012) and Diploma in Industrial Mathematics (2009) from Johannes Kepler University Linz. Notable awards include the 2020 Best Paper Award for optimal control research and 2019 Excellence in Teaching Award. Her work emphasizes adjoint gradient methods for optimization problems, parameter identification in multibody systems, and time-optimal control applications. Current projects include the VRoboCoop initiative for human-robot collaboration and IOMMS for innovative optimization in multibody systems. Publications span journals like Journal of Computational and Nonlinear Dynamics and Multibody System Dynamics , with over 80 peer-reviewed articles. She actively participates in international conferences and serves on editorial boards.

Jesse RatzkinView profile

Lecturer

• Geometric Analysis
• Differential Geometry
• Partial Differential Equations
• +5 more

Jesse Ratzkin is a Lecturer at the University of Würzburg's Chair of Mathematics VI (Mathematics in the Natural Sciences). He holds a PhD from the University of Washington (2001) and a B.A. from UC Berkeley (1995). His research focuses on geometric analysis, including mean curvature, Q-curvature, eigenvalues of the Laplace-Beltrami operator, and isoperimetric inequalities. He has held academic positions globally, including a tenured role at the University of Cape Town (2010–2016). His research has been funded by grants such as the National Research Foundation of South Africa (2013–2016) and NSF fellowships. Notable publications include works on Q-curvature metrics, Sobolev inequalities, and geometric flows. He actively participates in academic service, including editorial roles and organizing international conferences. Teaching spans institutions like the University of Cape Town, where he designed courses in PDEs, linear algebra, and complex analysis. He has supervised PhD students like Murray Christian and mentored over 8 final-year projects. His outreach efforts include high school math programs in South Africa and Ireland.

Luca AsselleView profile

Assistant Professor

• Symplectic Geometry
• Dynamical Systems
• Differential Geometry
• +3 more

Luca Asselle is an Assistant Professor of Geometry at the Faculty of Mathematics, Ruhr University Bochum. His research focuses on Dynamical Systems, Differential Geometry, and Symplectic Geometry, with a particular emphasis on Morse homology, magnetic systems, and geometric mechanics. He is affiliated with the Floer Center of Geometry and collaborates on projects like the SFB/TRR 191 research initiative. His work explores topics such as Zoll systems, Hamiltonian actions, and the Newtonian n-body problem, combining analytical techniques with geometric insights. Key research themes include the study of periodic orbits in magnetic fields, spectral stability in celestial mechanics, and applications of Morse theory to geometric problems. His recent publications address the Arnold conjecture, Zoll deformations, and bifurcations in multi-body systems. Asselle is also active in collaborative research, contributing to advancements in symplectic topology and differential geometry. His academic activities include teaching advanced courses on dynamical systems and geometry, and he participates in initiatives like the Floer Lectures and seminars. Despite no explicitly mentioned awards, his prolific publication record reflects sustained contributions to geometric analysis and mathematical physics.

Lisa BeckView profile

Professor

• Partial Differential Equations
• Calculus of Variations
• Regularity Theory for Elliptic Problems
• +3 more

Lisa Beck is a Professor at the Institute of Mathematics , University of Augsburg, specializing in Applied Analysis . Her research focuses on partial differential equations and the calculus of variations, with a particular emphasis on regularity theory for elliptic problems, functionals with linear growth, and the behavior of solutions under stochastic disturbances. University: University of Augsburg School: Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Technology Department: Institute of Mathematics Academic Rank: Professor Research Interests : Lisa Beck's work addresses regularity properties of solutions to nonlinear elliptic and parabolic systems, including partial Hölder continuity, boundary regularity, and the impact of stochastic perturbations on uniqueness and regularity. Her studies extend to variational problems with linear or subquadratic growth, cohesive fracture models, and blowup techniques in regularity theory. Publication Trends : Her recent publications (2025–2015) span topics such as gradient integrability for BD-minimizers , exponential convergence in drift-diffusion systems , optimal regularity for isoperimetric sets , and stochastic regularization of transport equations . These works often intersect calculus of variations , nonlinear elliptic systems , and stochastic analysis . Contact : Email: lisa.beck@math.uni-augsburg.de Phone: +49 821 598 -5475 Address: Universitätsstraße 12, 86159 Augsburg

Anna Dall'AcquaView profile

Professor

• Partial Differential Equations
• Calculus of Variations
• Geometric Analysis
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Anna Dall'Acqua holds a position as University Professor (Univ.-Prof.) at the Institute for Applied Analysis, Universität Ulm. Her research focuses on partial differential equations, calculus of variations, geometric analysis, and mathematical physics, with specific interests in higher-order elliptic problems, elastic curves, Willmore surfaces, and Hartree-Fock theory. She leads a research group and has supervised doctoral students including Gabriel Knöbl and Manuel Schlierf. Her work is supported by grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG) and Taiwan’s MoST. Recent research includes studies on elastic networks, Willmore flow of tori, and obstacle problems in elasticity. She teaches advanced courses such as Functional Analysis, Calculus of Variations, and Analysis series at the university. Prof. Dall'Acqua’s publications span over two decades, with contributions to journals like Calc. Var. PDEs , Journal of Differential Equations , and Analysis & PDE . Her habilitation thesis (2011) and earlier work on boundary value problems and pseudorelativistic Hartree-Fock systems highlight her interdisciplinary expertise.

Nori JacobyView profile

Assistant Professor

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Machine Learning
• +3 more

Nori Jacoby is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at Cornell University and a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt. Her research bridges cognitive science, neuroscience, and machine learning to explore how internal representations shape sensory and cognitive abilities, with a focus on universality/diversity in perception and collective behavior. Education: PhD from Hebrew University of Jerusalem (ELSC), postdocs at MIT, UC Berkeley, and Columbia University Lab: Directs the CoCoCo Lab (Cornell Computational Cognition Lab) Funding: NSF-funded postdoctoral program collaborating with UC Davis, CUNY, and Princeton Research interests include: High-dimensional perceptual spaces using adaptive sampling (e.g., Gibbs sampling with people) Cross-cultural studies of music and perception via global experiments Human-AI hybrid systems for collective creativity and decision-making Recent work explores mechanisms of cultural diversity in urban populations, neural correlates of rhythm in stroke patients, and LLM alignment with human sensory judgments. Current projects include large-scale music evolution experiments and NSF-funded studies on collective intelligence. Recruitment: Actively hiring postdocs and PhD students for interdisciplinary work.

• Calculus of Variations
• Geometric Measure Theory
• Partial Differential Equations
• +3 more

Prof. Jonas Hirsch is a Professor specializing in Calculus of Variations at the University of Leipzig. His office is located at Neues Augusteum, Augustusplatz 10, Room A 323, Leipzig. He focuses on advanced mathematical research areas including geometric measure theory, partial differential equations, and functional analysis. His research explores complex geometric and analytical problems, such as minimizing clusters, perimeter density, and rectifiability of measures under PDE constraints. Recent work includes studies on bounded mean curvature submanifolds and elliptic energy functionals. No scientific awards are explicitly listed in the provided information. His professional contacts include a work telephone (+49 341 97 - 32142) and fax (+49 341 97 - 32197). His ORCID identifier is 0000-0003-2962-5963.

Nadine GroßeView profile

Professor

• Geometric Analysis
• Differential Geometry
• Spin Geometry
• +4 more

Nadine Große is a Professor at the University of Freiburg's Department of Mathematics. She holds a PhD and habilitation in Mathematics from the University of Leipzig and has held academic positions including Interim Professor at TU Dresden and Associate Professor at the University of Freiburg. Her research focuses on geometric analysis, differential geometry, spin geometry, conformal geometry, and spectral theory, with emphasis on Yamabe-type problems, Dirac operators, and curvature on open manifolds. Education: Studied Mathematics and Physics at the University of Leipzig (2000–2005), earned a PhD in Mathematics (2008) with a thesis on spin conformal invariants, followed by a habilitation in 2014. She has held postdoctoral positions at the Universities of Regensburg and Leipzig. Research interests include geometric analysis, with a focus on boundary value problems, spectral theory of Dirac and Laplace operators, and applications to general relativity. Her work bridges differential geometry and functional analysis, addressing questions on manifolds with special geometric structures. Key publication trends include studies on Dirac operators, spectral geometry, and geometric PDEs, often collaborating with experts like Nelia Charalambous and Bernd Ammann. Her articles explore topics such as magnetic Dirac spectra, Yamabe equations on noncompact manifolds, and boundary value problems in bounded geometry contexts. Advising: Supervises PhD students including Marius Amann and Jonah Reuß. Former students include Ksenia Fedosova (now at Münster) and Simone Murro (now at Genoa). Active in organizing conferences like the ANGEL-Meeting (2025) and maintains a research group focused on geometric analysis and spectral theory. Labs/Teams: Leads the Differential Geometry Research Group at Freiburg, coordinating the Oberseminar Differentialgeometrie with Sebastian Goette. Her team contributes to both pure and applied aspects of geometric analysis, including teaching advanced courses on differential geometry and mathematical physics.

Ulrich DierkesView profile

Professor

• Geometric Analysis
• Minimal Surfaces
• Partial Differential Equations
• +3 more

Ulrich Dierkes is a Professor in Mathematical Computer Science at the University of Duisburg-Essen, specializing in geometric analysis and variational problems. His research investigates minimal surfaces, singular PDEs, and multidimensional optimization. Research Focus: Key contributions include foundational work on singular minimal surfaces, Bernstein theorems in controlled growth settings, and n-dimensional extensions of classical variational problems. Recent studies resolve questions about cylindrical and symmetric minimal surfaces. Publications: Authored seminal monographs like 'Minimal Surfaces' (Springer, 2010) and published extensively on geometric PDEs. Articles emphasize existence theorems, regularity, and singular solutions in variational calculus.

Arnold ReuskenView profile

Professor

• Numerical Analysis
• Finite Element Methods
• Multigrid Methods
• +7 more

Prof. Dr. Arnold Reusken is a full Professor of Numerical Mathematics at RWTH Aachen University, affiliated with the Institute for Geometry and Practical Mathematics (IGPM). He has held the Chair for Numerical Mathematics since 1997 and maintains an active research and academic profile in computational mathematics. Education: Ph.D. in Mathematics, University of Utrecht (1988) M.Sc. in Mathematics, University of Utrecht (1984) His research focuses on the development and analysis of numerical methods for partial differential equations, with particular emphasis on finite element methods, multigrid solvers, and computational techniques for two-phase incompressible flows and PDEs on surfaces. His work bridges theoretical numerical analysis and practical scientific computing applications in fluid dynamics and interfacial phenomena. He has made significant contributions to trace finite element methods, surface Stokes equations, and unfitted discretizations. The recent publication trend shows sustained activity in numerical methods for evolving surfaces, surface fluid dynamics, and preconditioning techniques. His work often involves rigorous error and stability analysis, demonstrating a strong theoretical foundation. Editorial Roles: Associate Editor, Journal of Numerical Mathematics (2015–present) Associate Editor, IMA Journal of Numerical Analysis (2020–present) Former Associate Editor, SIAM Journal on Numerical Analysis (2016–2021) Former Associate Editor, SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing (2002–2008) Former Associate Editor, Computing & Visualization in Science (2010–2021) Member of Advisory Board, Computing (1997–2009) Prof. Reusken has advised numerous students and researchers, though specific names are not listed in the provided text. He has been involved in collaborative research projects and has secured funding for work in numerical simulation and computational fluid dynamics. He co-authored the influential textbook Numerik für Ingenieure und Naturwissenschaftler , now in its third edition, and has contributed to other key publications in the field. He leads a research group at IGPM focused on numerical methods for interface and surface problems, contributing to both fundamental algorithm development and practical implementation in scientific computing. His team works on cutting-edge methods for simulating complex fluid systems with moving boundaries and topological changes.

• Calculus of Variations
• Geometric Measure Theory
• Non-Linear PDEs
• +2 more

Prof. Dr. Thomas Schmidt is a full-time Professor for Geometric PDEs at the University of Hamburg , affiliated with the Department of Mathematics under the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences . He leads the research group on Geometric Partial Differential Equations , focusing on calculus of variations, nonlinear PDEs, geometric measure theory, and regularity theory. Education: Diplom in Mathematics (2004, HHU Düsseldorf), Doctor in Mathematics (2006, HHU Düsseldorf), Habilitation in Mathematics (2015, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg). Career: Appointed as W2 Professor at University of Hamburg since 2016; postdoctoral positions at SNS Pisa, University of Zurich (2011–2013), and FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg (2008–2016). His research investigates boundary/obstacle problems for BV functions, currents near the Plateau problem, least gradient problems, Mumford-Shah functionals, quasiconvex integrals, and PDEs with degenerate ellipticity. Recent work includes existence theory for linear-growth functionals with signed measures, optimal Hölder exponents in Massari-type theorems, and duality frameworks for BV minimizers. Publications span journals like Advances in Calculus of Variations , Mathematische Annalen , and J. Lond. Math. Soc. . Key trends in his publications involve geometric measure theory, regularity analysis, and convex duality. His group addresses existence/uniqueness of generalized solutions, L p estimates, and partial regularity. He has collaborated with researchers such as Eleonora Ficola, Jule Helena Schütt, and Christoph Scheven. For administrative support, contact his team assistant Katrin Kopp at the department office.

Jens HabermannView profile

Professor

• Partial Differential Equations
• Calculus of Variations
• Mathematical Analysis
• +2 more

Prof. Dr. Jens Habermann serves as a Professor in the Department of Data Science at Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg (FAU). He maintains active research and teaching responsibilities, with course offerings scheduled through the 2025/26 academic year including Mathematics for Physics Students and Data Science courses. His research focuses on advanced mathematical analysis, particularly Theory of Partial Differential Equations and Calculus of Variations . Specialized interests include elliptic and parabolic (quasi-)minimizers, PDEs with non-standard growth conditions, and parabolic quasiminimizers on metric measure spaces. His work bridges theoretical mathematics with applications in mathematical physics and geometric analysis. Analysis of his publication record (2010-2018) reveals consistent contributions to regularity theory for nonlinear PDE systems, with particular emphasis on stability results, integrability estimates, and non-standard growth conditions. His research demonstrates strong methodological continuity across parabolic systems, vector-valued problems, and metric space generalizations. Dr. Habermann has secured significant third-party funding through the German Research Foundation (DFG), including participation in the Collaborative Research Center TRR 154 (2020-2022) on mathematical modeling of gas networks and a standalone DFG project (2015-2019) on parabolic quasi-minimizers in metric spaces. His teaching portfolio demonstrates expertise in foundational mathematics for STEM disciplines, with regular instruction in mathematical analysis sequences serving physics and data science students. Course structures typically include 4-5 SWS lectures complemented by tutorials and exercise sessions.

Francesco CattafiView profile

Research Fellow

• Differential Geometry
• Lie Groupoids and Algebroids
• Cartan Geometries
• +5 more

Francesco Cattafi is a post-doctoral researcher in differential geometry at the Chair of Mathematics X (Geometry) of Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, funded by the DFG Walter Benjamin Programme. He conducts research on Lie groupoids/algebroids, Cartan geometries and the geometry of PDEs, and is currently on the academic job market for positions starting Fall 2025. Education PhD in Mathematics (2015–2020) – Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands MSc in Mathematics (2013–2015) – Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy BSc in Mathematics (2010–2013) – Università degli Studi di Torino, Italy Research Interests Cattafi's work lies at the intersection of differential geometry, Lie theory and the geometric theory of PDEs. His primary focus is on Lie groupoids and algebroids , investigating their role in describing symmetries and equivalences of geometric structures. He studies Cartan geometries and G-structures to understand integrability via multiplicative forms and Pfaffian systems. A recurring theme is translating analytic questions about PDEs into geometric problems involving Lie pseudogroups and Morita equivalences. Publications Overview Since 2016 Cattafi has authored or co-authored seven peer-reviewed papers spanning foundational aspects of transitive differential geometry and applications to Poisson and symplectic geometry. Early work with Palese and Winterroth explored variational calculus and Noether currents, while his PhD-era collaborations with Crainic and Salazar linked PDE analysis to Pfaffian fibrations. Recent preprints treat PB-groupoids versus VB-groupoids and novel groupoid-theoretic approaches to symmetry and equivalence problems. Grants & Fellowships DFG Walter Benjamin Fellowship (2021–present) – Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg Junior Research Fellowship (2021) – Erwin Schrödinger Institute, Vienna Post-doctoral grant (2021) – Wolfgang Pauli Institute, Vienna Post-doctoral grant (2020) – KU Leuven, Belgium Contact & Online Presence Room 00.003, Building 31 (Physics East), Emil-Fischer-Straße 31, 97074 Würzburg, Germany Email: francesco.cattafi@uni-wuerzburg.de ORCID: 0000-0001-9785-0770

Hartmut WeißView profile

Professor

• Differential Geometry
• Geometric Analysis
• Low-Dimensional Topology
• +3 more

Prof. Hartmut Weiß is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany. His research focuses on Differential Geometry, Geometric Analysis, and Low-Dimensional Topology. He has organized numerous workshops and conferences, including the Norddeutscher Tag der Differentialgeometrie series and specialized events on Higgs bundles and geometric structures. **Education**: PhD (2002): 'Local rigidity of 3-dimensional cone-manifolds' at University of Tübingen Habilitation (2010): 'Rigidity and flexibility of hyperbolic cone-3-manifolds and polyhedra' at LMU Munich Diploma (1999): 'Variation formulas for equivariant analytic torsion' at University of Göttingen **Research Interests**: Weiß explores geometric structures in low dimensions, specializing in hyperbolic cone-manifolds, Higgs bundles, and geometric flows. His work integrates differential geometry with topological methods, addressing deformation theory and geometric rigidity. Recent projects examine asymptotic geometry of Higgs bundles and moduli spaces. **Key Activities**: He co-organized over 15 events since 2015, including international workshops on geometric analysis and topology. Current teaching includes Differentialgeometrie II and a seminar on Seiberg-Witten theory. **Professional Network**: Active in the German mathematics community, collaborating with institutions like the MPI for Mathematics (Bonn) and Heidelberg University. His research group engages in international projects funded by DFG and EU initiatives.