معرفی
Dr. Robert Mercaș is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the Department of Computer Science at Loughborough University, UK, where he has been working since July 2016. He leads the Theoretical Computer Science research group and focuses on combinatorial and algorithmic properties of sequences. His academic journey includes positions at King's College London, Kiel University, and Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, supported by prestigious fellowships including the Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Newton International Fellowship.
Dr. Mercaș received his PhD in Combinatorics on Words from Rovira i Virgili University, Spain (2006-2010), following a Master of Advanced Studies from the same institution (2006-2008). He completed his MS in Theoretical Computer Science and BS in Computer Science at the University of Bucharest, Romania.
His research spans several interconnected areas within theoretical computer science. Dr. Mercaș specializes in Combinatorics on Words, investigating patterns, repetitions, and structural properties of sequences. His work in Formal Languages explores automata theory, Parikh matrices, and pattern inference. In Bioinformatics, he develops algorithms for sequence comparison and analysis, particularly focusing on absent words. He also contributes to the study of Trace Monoids and has published work related to networks of processors and natural language processing.
Dr. Mercaș's publication record shows a consistent focus on combinatorial properties of words, with recent work on repetition roots, Parikh matrices, and string algorithms. His research demonstrates both theoretical depth and practical applications in bioinformatics and string processing, with collaborations spanning multiple international institutions.
- Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship (2011-2013)
- Newton International Fellowship (2016)
- DAAD fellowship (P.R.I.M.E. funding)
- DFG grant (582014)
As an educator, Dr. Mercaș teaches Mathematics for Computer Science and Algorithms Analysis at Loughborough University. He has previously taught Text Searching and Processing at King's College London and has reviewed PhD theses for students including Markus Whiteland, Marie Lejeune, and Szymon Łopaciuk. His service to the community includes membership on the Steering Committee for the International Conference on WORDS and organizing WORDS 2019 at Loughborough University.
