Alexander Henry Stokes

Alexander Henry Stokes is an Assistant Professor (non-tenure-track) at the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study, Waseda University, and an External Lecturer at the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Mathematical Engineering, Musashino University. Previously, he held positions as a Research Assistant Professor (adjunct) at the University of Warsaw, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics, and as a JSPS Overseas Research Fellow at the Graduate School of Mathematical Sciences, The University of Tokyo.

His educational background includes:

• PhD in Mathematics, University College London, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Department of Mathematics (2017-2020)
• Honours in Applied Mathematics, The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science, School of Mathematics and Statistics (2016)
• Bachelor of Science (Advanced Mathematics) and Bachelor of Arts (Major in Japanese Studies), The University of Sydney, Faculty of Science (2011-2015)

Stokes specializes in the geometric theory of Painlevé equations, with research interests spanning integrable systems, discrete Painlevé equations, applications of algebraic geometry to mathematical physics, delay-differential Painlevé equations, and orthogonal polynomials. His work primarily focuses on extending the geometric framework of Painlevé equations to higher dimensions and developing methods to analyze their integrability properties through singularity confinement and degree growth. He has made significant contributions to understanding the geometric structure of discrete Painlevé equations and their connections to orthogonal polynomials.

His publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on the geometric aspects of Painlevé equations, with recent work exploring symmetry groups of discrete Painlevé equations, deautonomisation processes, Hamiltonian structures, and connections to orthogonal polynomials. A notable trend in his research is the application of geometric methods to identify and classify different forms of Painlevé equations, particularly through the analysis of their associated surfaces and symmetry structures. His work bridges pure mathematics with applications in mathematical physics.

His scientific achievements include:

• SIDE13 Poster Presentation Prize (2018) for "Full-parameter discrete Painlevé systems from non-translational Cremona isometries"
• JSPS Overseas Research Fellow (2021-2023)
• London Mathematical Society Early Career Fellow (2021)

Stokes has secured research funding through Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research, including projects titled "Extending the geometric theory of discrete Painlevé equations beyond two dimensions" (2024-2026) and "Extending the geometric theory of discrete Painlevé equations - singularities, entropy and integrability" (2023-2024). His teaching experience spans multiple institutions including Musashino University, King's College London, and University College London, where he has taught courses in mathematical engineering, differential equations, and complex analysis. He is actively involved in the international mathematical community, regularly presenting at conferences including SIDE (Symmetries and Integrability of Difference Equations) and other specialized workshops on integrable systems and Painlevé equations.