Alexandru Zaharescu

Alexandru Zaharescu is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), affiliated with the Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on Number Theory, encompassing analytic, algebraic, and geometric aspects with connections to modular forms, L-functions, prime distribution, and partition theory. He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University (1995).

• Education: Ph.D. in Mathematics, Princeton University, 1995

Zaharescu's research interests include the Riemann Hypothesis, Farey series, exponential sums, and applications to cryptography and discrete mathematics. Recent work explores geometric interpretations of number-theoretic phenomena, such as angular distributions of lattice points and properties of modular curves. His studies on prime partitions and pseudo-differentiable functions bridge analysis and number theory.

His publications reflect a focus on advanced topics like L-functions, divisor functions, and modular forms. Key contributions include proofs of Pollock’s conjectures on icosahedral numbers and statistical analyses of Fermat quotients.

• Awards: AMS Fellow (2017), LAS Teaching Excellence Award (2010), Center for Advanced Study Associate (2004–05, 2013–14)

Zaharescu’s work often intersects with algebraic geometry and combinatorics, addressing problems in both pure and applied mathematics. His research on cyclotomic fields and p-adic valuations contributes to foundational number theory.