معرفی
David Shea Vela-Vick is a Professor of Mathematics at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he leads research in contact geometry, low-dimensional topology, and knot theory. Previously, he served as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 2009 under John Etnyre and Herman Gluck.
His research focuses on classification problems in contact 3-manifolds, Legendrian knots, and intersections of classical knot theory with Riemannian geometry. He also explores geometric invariants in magnetohydrodynamics and higher-order helicity invariants. Vela-Vick co-founded 〈Sci|State〉, a platform for accessible scientific discussions, and actively mentors students and postdoctoral researchers.
- Education:
- Ph.D. in Mathematics (2009), University of Pennsylvania
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, Columbia University
His recent work includes collaborations on random polygon models, symplectic geometry, and topological constraints in polymer physics, supported by NSF grants such as DMS-0748636 and DMS-1249708. He has advised numerous graduate students and mentored postdoctoral fellows, many of whom hold academic positions at institutions like Bucknell University and the University of Ottawa.
Awards: NSF Postdoctoral Fellow (2009–2012)
Labs/Initiatives: Co-founder of 〈Sci|State〉, a multimedia project bridging advanced research with general audiences through YouTube and Facebook.
