Henry Cohn

Henry Cohn is a Professor of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), specializing in discrete mathematics, sphere packing, conformal field theory, and fast matrix multiplication. His work bridges pure and applied mathematics, emphasizing symmetry in exceptional structures and applications to physics, cryptography, and information theory. He supervises graduate students and research interns, particularly at Microsoft Research and MIT.

• Education:
  • Ph.D., Mathematics, Harvard University (2000)
  • B.S., Mathematics, MIT (1995)
• Professional Background:
  • Postdoc to long-term member, Microsoft Research Redmond (2000–2007)
  • Head, Cryptography Group, Microsoft Research (2007–2008)
  • Founding member, Microsoft Research New England (2008–2024)
  • Professor, MIT Department of Mathematics (2025–present)

Research Interests: Cohn explores symmetry in mathematics and physics, focusing on sphere packing, potential energy minimization, and applications of harmonic analysis and representation theory. His work spans discrete geometry, coding theory, cryptography, and theoretical computer science.

Publications & Grants: He has published extensively on sphere packings, error-correcting codes, and matrix multiplication, often leveraging modular forms and semidefinite programming. His research is supported by institutions like the Simons Foundation.

Teaching & Mentorship: Cohn teaches courses in number theory, discrete geometry, and mathematical logic at MIT and programs like PROMYS. He has advised numerous Ph.D. students and research interns, including Yichi Zhang, James Hirst, and Alex Cohen.