Jan Vondrak

Jan Vondrak is a Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University. He earned his PhD in Applied Mathematics from MIT in 2005, followed by postdoctoral positions at Microsoft Research and Princeton University. He worked as a Research Staff Member at IBM Almaden Research Lab (2009–2015) before joining Stanford in 2016. His roles include teaching courses such as Linear Algebra, Combinatorics, and advanced topics in submodular optimization.

• Department: Mathematics
• University: Stanford University
• Academic Rank: Professor

Research interests include discrete optimization, submodular functions, approximation algorithms, algorithmic game theory, and probabilistic combinatorics. His work bridges theoretical mathematics and algorithmic applications, with a focus on non-constructive proofs and polynomial-based methods in combinatorics.

Recent publications highlight advancements in Nash Social Welfare approximation, content resolution schemes, prophet inequalities, and submodular function analysis. His work intersects computer science, economics, and probability theory, often applying algebraic and combinatorial techniques to optimization problems.

Scientific awards include recognition for the paper Computational complexity of truthful mechanisms for combinatorial auctions (EC 2012, Top 10% paper).

Advising PhD students like Pranav Nuti (Mathematics, 2024), Wenzheng Li (Computer Science, 2024), and Paul Liu (Computer Science, 2022. He has also organized academic programs on data structures, optimization, and the geometry of polynomials.