Avi Wigderson

Avi Wigderson is the Herbert H. Maass Professor at the School of Mathematics, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, where he leads research in theoretical computer science and discrete mathematics. He organizes the CSDM (Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics) program at IAS, fostering interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

Research Interests: His primary research areas include randomness and pseudorandomness, computational complexity, circuit and proof complexity, quantum computation, cryptography, and distributed computing. His work bridges computer science and pure mathematics, particularly through algebra, analysis, and combinatorics. He has pioneered foundational results in derandomization, lower bounds, and the interplay between computation and mathematical structures.

The recent publications highlight his continued leadership in advancing algebraic and analytic techniques in complexity theory. Themes include operator scaling, invariant theory, expander graphs, arithmetic circuits, and the asymptotic analysis of tensors and matrix spaces. These works often unify computational problems with deep mathematical frameworks, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary approaches.

Scientific Awards:

• Edsger W. Dijkstra Prize in Distributed Computing (2023) for the paper 'Completeness Theorems for Non-cryptographic Fault-tolerant Distributed Computing'

Advising and Grants: Wigderson has advised numerous PhD students, primarily at the Hebrew University and Princeton, and hosted over 50 postdoctoral researchers at IAS, including many who have become leading figures in theoretical computer science. While specific grants are not listed, his sustained productivity and influence suggest long-term funding from major sources such as the NSF, Simons Foundation, or IAS internal support.

Labs and Teams: He leads the CSDM (Computer Science and Discrete Mathematics) group at the Institute for Advanced Study, organizing seminars, workshops, and collaborative research initiatives that bring together mathematicians and computer scientists from around the world.