Joy Morris

Joy Morris is a Professor at the Department of Mathematics & Computer Science at the University of Lethbridge. She earned her BSc from Trent University in 1992 and her PhD from Simon Fraser University in 2000 under Brian Alspach. Her academic journey includes tenure in 2005, promotion to Associate Professor, and full Professor status in 2015.

• Research Focus: Interactions between group theory and graph theory, with emphasis on Cayley graphs and automorphisms
• Key Contributions: Solving the distinguishing number problem for various graph families, advancing DCI/CI group theory

Research Overview

Her work bridges abstract algebra with graph theory through Cayley graphs. She investigates automorphism groups, Hamilton cycles, and graph symmetry properties. Notable contributions include resolving the DCI property for specific groups, analyzing Praeger-Xu graphs, and studying color-preserving automorphisms.

Academic Leadership

As a co-author of two influential open-access textbooks (Proofs and Concepts with Dave Morris and her own Combinatorics text), she has shaped curriculum development and mathematical education outreach programs for parents in Alberta. Her teaching portfolio includes foundational courses like Math 2000 and advanced combinatorial theory instruction.

Collaborative Impact

With over 30 publications since 1996, her collaborations span international researchers including C. Praeger, P. Spiga, and E. Dobson. Current projects involve hypercube distinguishing costs and automorphism group analysis of vertex-transitive digraphs. She maintains active research into graphical regular representations and graph isomorphism problems.