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Ricky Ini LiuView profile

Associate Professor

• Algebraic Combinatorics
• Algebraic Geometry
• Combinatorial Geometry
• +5 more

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.

• Data Science
• Machine Learning
• Computational Harmonic Analysis
• +6 more

Pierre Vandergheynst is a Full Professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) in the Department of Electrical Engineering, with a courtesy appointment in Computer and Communication Sciences. He serves as EPFL’s Vice-Provost for Education since 2015 and leads the Signal Processing Laboratory 2 (LTS2). His research spans harmonic analysis, sparse approximations, mathematical data processing, and applications in signal/image processing, computer vision, machine learning, and graph-based data analysis. PhD in Mathematical Physics (1998), Université catholique de Louvain Postdoctoral Researcher at EPFL (1998-2001) Assistant Professor at EPFL (2002-2007) His research explores geometry/symmetry in high-dimensional data, redundant dictionaries for dimensionality reduction, and computational harmonic analysis on manifolds. Recent work focuses on protein structure modeling, geometric deep learning, and graph-based signal processing. Key article trends include graph neural networks for protein analysis, geometric deep learning in neuroscience, and structured knowledge priors in neural models. His 2023-2025 publications emphasize interpretable AI, long-range dependencies in graphs, and molecular representation learning. Scientific Awards: IEEE Signal Processing Magazine Best Paper Award (2023) Signal Processing Society Best Paper Award (2022) Apple ARTS Award (2007) De Boelpaepe Prize, Royal Academy of Sciences of Belgium (2009-2010) He has supervised over 30 PhD theses and contributed to foundational work in graph signal processing, compressive sensing, and geometric deep learning. His lab develops tools for data science on non-Euclidean structures, with applications in medicine, astronomy, and wireless systems.

Aram HarrowView profile

Professor

• Quantum Information Science
• Quantum Algorithms
• Quantum Computing
• +3 more

Aram Harrow is a Professor of Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) , affiliated with the MIT Center for Theoretical Physics and MIT Center for Quantum Engineering . He focuses on quantum information science and quantum algorithms , with additional interests in representation theory and optimization . His recent work explores quantum computing applications in chemical physics and statistical mechanics . Undergraduate and graduate degrees in Physics at MIT Faculty positions: MIT (2013-present), University of Washington (2010-12), University of Bristol (2005-10) Research Interests: His work bridges quantum information theory and many-body physics , including: Quantum algorithm design for chemistry and optimization Quantum circuit complexity and t-designs Entanglement dynamics in quantum systems Quantum-classical hybrid computing models Key Publications: Recent articles demonstrate quantum speedups for biomolecular free energy calculations , Hamiltonian simulation , and jet clustering algorithms . His research combines quantum complexity theory with practical implementations on near-term quantum devices. Scientific Awards: 2023 Simons Investigator 2018 APS Bennett Award 2017 IEEE Best Paper Award 2016 Kavli Frontiers Fellow Mentorship: He advises current PhD students Shankar Balasubramanian , Angus Lowe , and Norah Tan , with 12 former advisees including Anand Natarajan and Saeed Mehraban . His 2026 recruitment seeks one new graduate student.

• Theoretical Computer Science
• Graph Algorithms
• Dynamic Algorithms
• +7 more

Nicole Wein is an Assistant Professor in the Computer Science and Engineering Division of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the University of Michigan, College of Engineering. Her research lies in theoretical computer science, focusing on graph algorithms, dynamic algorithms, parameterized algorithms, distributed algorithms, online algorithms, and fine-grained complexity. She is part of the Theory of Computation Lab and advises both PhD and undergraduate researchers. PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), advised by Virginia Vassilevska Williams Postdoctoral Fellow, DIMACS Research Fellow, Simons Institute, UC Berkeley MS, Stanford University BS, Computer Science/Math, Harvey Mudd College Her research explores fundamental algorithmic questions in combinatorial settings, particularly how algorithms handle dynamic data, extract information efficiently (e.g., in linear time), and understand shortest path structures in graphs—especially directed ones. She investigates problems in distance estimation, spanners, hopsets, dynamic graph algorithms, and hardness of approximation. Her work combines theoretical depth with practical implications for algorithm design. The recent publications reflect a strong trend in fine-grained complexity and graph algorithm design, with a focus on proving tight bounds, developing efficient approximations, and understanding structural limitations in directed and dynamic graphs. Her work frequently appears in top venues such as STOC, FOCS, SODA, and ICALP, often in collaboration with leading researchers in the field. Scientific Awards and Recognition: Invited to special issue of SIAM Journal on Computing (SICOMP) (FOCS 2022 paper) Invited to Highlights of Algorithms (HALG) (FOCS 2022 paper) Invited to minisymposium at CANADAM (ESA 2022 paper) Work featured in Quanta Magazine Nicole Wein actively mentors students, including current PhD student Jubayer Nirjhor and former undergraduate researchers like Sam Hiken (now pre-doc at MIT). She has served on program committees for major conferences including SODA, FOCS, ICALP, and ITCS, and co-organized the DIMACS workshop on Modern Techniques in Graph Algorithms (2023). She also contributes to the academic community through outreach, such as her article offering reassurance to early-stage PhD students in theoretical computer science. She leads and participates in collaborative research groups and workshops, emphasizing supercollaboration and interdisciplinary communication in algorithms. Her lab fosters a strong research environment in theoretical computer science at the University of Michigan.

Kurt JohanssonView profile

Professor

• Probability Theory
• Mathematical Physics
• Random Matrix Theory

Kurt Johansson is a Full Professor of Mathematics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. His academic journey includes roles as Associate Professor at KTH (1993-2001) and Uppsala University (1988-1993), alongside research funded by the Swedish Natural Science Research Council (1998-2003). His primary affiliations are within the Department of Probability, Mathematical Physics & Statistics at KTH, where he also coordinates courses on Differential Equations and Fourier Analysis. Education: BSc in Physics (1982) and PhD in Mathematics (1988), both from Uppsala University. Research interests focus on Probability Theory , Mathematical Physics , and Random Matrix Theory , with contributions to stochastic models, determinantal processes, and universality in statistical mechanics. Key Awards: Wallenberg Prize (1995), Rollo Davidson Prize (2000), Göran Gustafsson Prize (2002), Fellow of the American Mathematical Society (2012), and multiple Wallenberg Scholar grants (2011-2023). Grants: Major funding from the Swedish Research Council (VR), K&A Wallenberg Foundation, and others. His research group explores Random Matrices, Stochastic Models, and Analysis , with notable work on the Arctic Circle Theorem and KPZ universality class. Recent publications analyze Brownian directed percolation and domino tilings of the Aztec diamond, reflecting his focus on interdisciplinary applications of probability and mathematical physics.

Melanie WeberView profile

Assistant Professor

• Geometric Machine Learning
• Optimization on Manifolds
• Non-Euclidean Machine Learning
• +3 more

Melanie Weber is an Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Harvard University's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), leading the Geometric Machine Learning Group. Her research focuses on leveraging geometric structures in data for designing efficient machine learning and optimization algorithms with theoretical guarantees. She holds a PhD from Princeton University (2021) and has held fellowships at the Mathematical Institute of Oxford, Brasenose College, and the Simons Institute. Her work bridges geometry, optimization, and machine learning, with funding from NSF, Sloan Foundation, and Harvard initiatives. Education : PhD in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University (2021) BSc/MSc in Mathematics and Physics, University of Leipzig (2016) Research Interests : Dr. Weber's research integrates geometric principles into machine learning and optimization, focusing on non-Euclidean spaces, graph structures, and manifold-based methods. Key areas include optimization on Riemannian manifolds, curvature-based analysis (e.g., Ricci curvature), and developing algorithms resilient to data geometry challenges like over-smoothing in graph neural networks. Her work emphasizes theoretical foundations while addressing practical scalability in high-dimensional data. Awards & Recognition : 2024 Sloan Research Fellowship 2023 Leslie Fox Prize in Numerical Analysis 2023 NSF Grant for Geometric Optimization Grants & Funding : Supported by National Science Foundation (NSF), Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Aramont Foundation, Harvard Dean’s Fund, and Harvard Data Science Initiative. Labs & Collaborations : Leads the Geometric Machine Learning Group at SEAS, collaborating with institutions like MIT, Max Planck Institute, and industry labs (Facebook, Google, Microsoft). Active in organizing workshops on geometric methods and curvature analysis.

• Algebraic Combinatorics
• Quasisymmetric Functions
• Schubert Calculus
• +4 more

Vasu Tewari is an Assistant Professor (CLTA) at the University of Toronto, working across both the Downtown Toronto (St. George) and Mississauga (UTM) campuses. Their office is located at HU1015 (215 Huron), and they can be reached at vasu.tewari@utoronto.ca. As a member of the Department of Mathematics within the Faculty of Arts and Science, Professor Tewari contributes to both teaching and research activities at the university. Professor Tewari's research focuses on advanced topics in algebraic combinatorics, with particular expertise in: Quasisymmetric functions and their geometric interpretations Schubert polynomial theory and related structures Representation theory of symmetric groups and related algebras Combinatorial aspects of algebraic geometry Enumerative combinatorics with connections to symmetric functions Algebraic structures arising from combinatorial objects Analysis of Professor Tewari's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the interplay between combinatorial structures and algebraic frameworks. Their work often explores generalizations of classical symmetric function theory through the lens of quasisymmetric functions, providing new insights into Schubert calculus, permutation statistics, and geometric combinatorics. A notable trend in their research is the investigation of stability phenomena in combinatorial structures and the development of new algebraic tools for studying these phenomena. Professor Tewari has made significant contributions to understanding the geometry of combinatorial objects through algebraic methods, particularly in the areas of permutahedral varieties, zonotopal algebras, and quiver representations. Their work bridges pure mathematics with potential applications in theoretical physics and computer science.

Zvezdelina StankovaView profile

Teaching Professor

• Algebraic Geometry
• Representation Theory
• Combinatorics
• +2 more

Zvezdelina Stankova is a Teaching Professor of Mathematics and Director and Founder of the Berkeley Math Circle at the University of California, Berkeley . Her contact details include an office in 713 Evans Hall and the email stankova@math.berkeley.edu . Research Interests: • Algebraic Geometry • Representation Theory • Combinatorics • Olympiad Problem-Solving • Mathematics Education Publications and Research Trends: Her work bridges Combinatorics and Algebraic Geometry , with a focus on permutation patterns, avoidance, and moduli spaces of curves. She has also contributed significantly to Mathematics Education through her leadership in the Berkeley Math Circle, emphasizing problem-solving techniques and outreach programs for students. Teaching and Outreach: Stankova has taught various courses at UC Berkeley, including MATH 52 Calculus II (2025), MATH 110 Linear Algebra , and MATH 74 Transition to Proofs . She actively engages with the Berkeley Math Circle, providing resources for mathematical competitions and advanced training for students.

Max AlekseyevView profile

Associate Professor

• Computational Graph Theory
• Enumerative Combinatorics
• Computational/Algorithmic Biology
• +1 more

Max Alekseyev is an Associate Professor in the Mathematics Department and Computational Biology Institute. His research spans computational graph theory, enumerative combinatorics, computational/algorithmic biology, and comparative genomics. He focuses on interdisciplinary problems, blending mathematics with biological applications, particularly in genome assembly and analysis. His work includes advancements in genome scaffolding algorithms, combinatorial sequence analysis, and mathematical biology. Notable contributions involve genome assembly tools like CAMSA and studies on ancestral genome reconstruction. He also explores theoretical topics such as Bernoulli series generalizations and modular data classification. His research trends highlight a blend of pure mathematics (e.g., number theory, graph theory) and applied computational methods, addressing challenges in genomics and evolutionary biology. He secured an NSF Student Travel Grant in 2018 for computational molecular biology.

• Tropical Geometry
• Cluster Algebras
• Combinatorics
• +5 more

David E Speyer is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Michigan . His research focuses on algebraic problems with combinatorial flavors , particularly in tropical geometry , cluster algebras , and geometry of Lie groups . He has supervised multiple PhD students, including Shelby Cox, Will Dana, and John Wiltshire-Gordon, and collaborated on projects with undergraduates like Grant Barkley and Benjamin Branman. Education: PhD in Mathematics from UC Berkeley under Bernd Sturmfels; undergraduate at Harvard. Research: Key areas include tropical geometry , cluster algebras , and flag manifolds . His work often bridges combinatorics, algebraic geometry, and representation theory. Publications: Over 40 papers, including breakthroughs in cluster algebras , affine weak order , and braid variety cluster structures . Awards: Clay Research Fellow (2005-2010). Teaching: Coordinates courses like Math 593 (graduate algebra) and Math 214 , with a focus on inquiry-based learning .

Lauren K. WilliamsView profile

Professor

• Algebraic Combinatorics
• Cluster Algebras
• Mathematical Physics
• +4 more

Lauren K. Williams is the Dwight Parker Robinson Professor of Mathematics at Harvard University and the Sally Starling Seaver Professor at the Radcliffe Institute. Her research focuses on algebraic combinatorics, cluster algebras, and mathematical physics, with notable contributions to the study of the positive Grassmannian, amplituhedron geometry, and integrable systems. She holds affiliations with Harvard’s Department of Mathematics and the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. Her work bridges combinatorics, algebraic geometry, and physics, particularly in understanding geometric structures like the amplituhedron, which encode scattering amplitudes in quantum field theory. Key areas include cluster algebras, Schubert varieties, and applications of combinatorial methods to stochastic processes such as the asymmetric exclusion process (ASEP). Recent activities include organizing conferences on combinatorics, mathematical physics, and the legacy of mathematicians like Richard P. Stanley. Her research often explores connections between discrete structures and continuous systems, with a focus on positivity and geometric positivity principles. Awards and grants are not explicitly listed in the provided texts, but her contributions have been recognized through invitations to major international conferences and leadership in the field. She actively mentors students and postdocs in combinatorics and algebraic geometry.

Ignasi Sau VallsView profile

Researcher

• Graph Theory
• Parameterized Complexity
• Algorithmic Graph Theory
• +5 more

Ignasi Sau Valls is a Directeur de Recherche (DR2) at CNRS, affiliated with the LIRMM laboratory at Université de Montpellier, France. He is a member of the AlGCo team, focusing on algorithms for graphs and combinatorics. His academic background includes dual degrees in Mathematics and Telecommunications Engineering from UPC (Barcelona), a PhD in joint supervision between UPC and Projet Mascotte (Sophia Antipolis), and a postdoctoral position at the Technion (Israel). He has been with CNRS since 2010 and was promoted to his current role in October 2024. He also served as a Visiting Professor at UFC (Brazil) from 2016–2017. His research interests lie primarily in Graph Theory and Parameterized Complexity , with a focus on structural graph properties, kernelization, and algorithm design. He has made significant contributions to problems involving minor-closed graph classes, treewidth, and graph modification. His work bridges theoretical foundations with algorithmic applications, particularly in discrete optimization and network problems. The recent articles highlight a strong trend in parameterized algorithms, especially for graph modification, kernelization, and structural graph problems. Topics such as hitting minors, dynamic programming on tree decompositions, and edge contractions reflect a deep engagement with structural parameterizations and fixed-parameter tractability. His publications frequently appear in top-tier journals like SIAM Journal on Computing, Journal of Combinatorial Theory, and Algorithmica, as well as major conferences such as ICALP, SODA, and IPEC. Best paper award of Track C of ICALP'10 Best student paper award of WG'09 Ignasi Sau has been a principal investigator of the ANR JCJC project ELIT (ANR-20-CE48-0008-01), funded with 169k€ from 2021 to 2026. He serves as an editor for DMTCS and Information and Computation , and has held significant organizational roles, including PC member of numerous conferences (MFCS, WG, IPEC, COCOON) and as co-chair and main organizer of WG 2019, ICGT 2022, and JCALM 2023. He has delivered invited courses at international schools in France, Argentina, and Brazil. He is actively involved in the research community through editorial duties, conference organization, and collaborative research. His lab affiliation is the AlGCo team at LIRMM, a leading group in algorithmic graph theory and combinatorics.

• Theoretical Computer Science
• Graph Algorithms
• Lower Bounds
• +7 more

Nicole Wein is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan, where she is a member of the Theory of Computation Lab within the Computer Science and Engineering Division. Her research focuses on theoretical computer science, particularly graph algorithms and lower bounds across various domains including distance-estimation, dynamic, parameterized, distributed, and online algorithms. Education: PhD in Computer Science from MIT, advised by Virginia Vassilevska Williams Master's in Computer Science from Stanford University B.S. in Computer Science/Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College Nicole's research centers on theoretical aspects of graph algorithms and computational complexity. She investigates fundamental questions about how algorithms can efficiently handle changing data, extract information from graphs in linear time, and understand the structure of shortest paths, especially in directed graphs. Her work spans multiple algorithmic paradigms including dynamic algorithms that adapt to changing inputs, parameterized approaches for hard problems, and fine-grained complexity that establishes precise relationships between problem difficulty. Analysis of Nicole's recent publications reveals a strong focus on graph algorithms, particularly shortest path problems, spanners, and hardness results. Her work often bridges theoretical insights with practical implications, developing novel techniques for distance estimation, dynamic graph processing, and approximation algorithms. A significant portion of her research examines the structural properties of graphs that enable or constrain efficient computation, with applications across computer science. Nicole actively mentors students at various levels. She currently advises PhD student Jubayer Nirjhor and has worked with undergraduate researchers including Sam Hiken (now a pre-doc at MIT), Michael Wang, and Tony Zhang. Her teaching includes foundational courses like EECS 376: Foundations of Computer Science and specialized courses such as EECS 598: Graph Algorithms. Nicole contributes to the academic community through service as a program committee member for major conferences including SOSA 2025, FOCS 2025, SODA 2025, and others. She co-organized the June 2023 DIMACS workshop on Modern Techniques in Graph Algorithms and previously organized Algorithms Office Hours at MIT to improve communication between theory and applications of algorithms.

• Functional Analysis
• Operator Theory
• Free Probability
• +3 more

Michael Anshelevich is a Professor of Mathematics at Texas A&M University, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on Functional Analysis, Operator Theory, and Free Probability, with contributions to non-commutative stochastic processes, orthogonal polynomials, and operator-valued distributions. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley (2000) and a B.S. from the California Institute of Technology (1994). His work bridges combinatorial methods with advanced probability theory, addressing topics like free Lévy processes and free convolution powers. Research interests span non-commutative probability frameworks, including free stochastic measures, Fock space representations, and applications of combinatorial structures to stochastic calculus. Recent articles explore exponential products in operator algebras, Hermite polynomials in Brownian motion contexts, and depth-two actions in Fock spaces. His contributions to free probability include extending classical limit theorems to non-commutative settings and analyzing multiplicative free convolutions. Publications highlight interdisciplinary connections between functional analysis and stochastic processes, with a focus on operator-valued distributions and Jacobi parameters. While no specific awards are listed, his extensive bibliography reflects sustained impact in mathematical physics and operator theory. Advising and grants sections remain unspecified, though his research often involves collaborative projects in stochastic analysis and free probability.

Donald RobertsonView profile

Lecturer

• Ergodic Theory
• Additive Combinatorics
• Interval Exchange Transformations
• +1 more

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.