Richard Evan Schwartz

Richard Evan Schwartz is the Chancellor's Professor of Mathematics at Brown University, where he has been a faculty member since 2005, becoming Chancellor's Professor in 2010. His research spans several areas of geometry and dynamical systems, with particular focus on billiards, projective geometry, and topological phenomena.

Dr. Schwartz received his B.S. in Mathematics from UCLA in 1987 and his Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1991. Prior to joining Brown, he held positions at various institutions including the University of Maryland, where he served as Associate Professor (1997-2000), Professor (2000-2004), and Ruth Davis Professor (2004-2005).

His research interests include mathematical billiards, particularly outer billiards; projective geometry and the pentagram map; CR geometry; and the geometry of paper folding including Moebius bands and tori. He approaches these topics with a unique blend of theoretical analysis, computational experimentation, and visual intuition. His work often reveals surprising connections between seemingly disparate mathematical areas and frequently produces beautiful geometric patterns and structures.

Dr. Schwartz's recent publications demonstrate a continued focus on geometric optimization problems, particularly in paper folding geometry. His work on optimal Moebius bands represents a significant breakthrough in a problem that had remained unsolved for decades. He has also made substantial contributions to understanding the pentagram map and its connections to integrable systems, as well as exploring connections between continued fractions, graph theory, and projective geometry.

• National Merit Scholar (1984-7)
• NSF Graduate Fellow (1987-90)
• Sloan Dissertation Fellow (1991)
• NSF Postdoctoral Fellow (1993-5)
• Sloan Research Fellow (1996-8)
• ICM Speaker (2002 and 2022)
• Guggenheim Fellow (2003)
• IAS member (2003-4 and 2020-1)
• Clay Research Scholar (2009)
• Multiple Simons Sabbatical Fellowships (2012-3, 2016-7, 2020-1, 2024-5)

Dr. Schwartz has mentored numerous students through his research and teaching activities. His current research is supported by NSF grant DMS-2102802 and a Mercator Fellowship. He serves as an organizer for the Brown University Geometry/Topology Seminar, fostering academic exchange in his field.

His work bridges pure mathematics with creative visualization, as evidenced by his development of numerous interactive Java programs to accompany his research. He has also authored several expository works and popular mathematics books including 'You Can Count on Monsters,' 'Really Big Numbers,' and 'Gallery of the Infinite,' making complex mathematical concepts accessible to broader audiences.