معرفی
Susan Hermiller is the Willa Cather Professor of Mathematics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she has been a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics within the College of Arts and Sciences. She is recognized as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, highlighting her significant contributions to mathematical research. Her academic career spans several decades, with active research and teaching continuing through 2023.
Professor Hermiller's research focuses on geometric and combinatorial group theory, with particular interest in algorithmic properties (rewriting systems, automaticity, almost convexity), asymptotic properties (growth functions, isoperimetric/diametric/tame filling functions), and homological properties of groups. She explores connections between group theory and low dimensional topology, as well as non-commutative and commutative Groebner bases (rewriting systems for algebras). Her work addresses fundamental questions in group theory, particularly the word problem originally stated by M. Dehn in 1911, which asks whether there is an algorithm to determine if performing a sequence of rigid motions returns an object to its original position.
Analysis of her recent publications reveals a consistent focus on geometric group theory with increasing attention to computational aspects. Her research often involves collaborations with mathematicians like Mark Brittenham, Derek Holt, and Sarah Rees. The publications demonstrate a progression from foundational work on rewriting systems and combings to more recent investigations of autostackability, conjugacy languages, and connections to topology.
Among her scientific achievements, she has been recognized as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and has served on editorial boards for prestigious journals including the Journal of Algebra (2019-present) and Communications in Algebra (2010-2020).
Professor Hermiller has advised numerous doctoral students including Ash DeClerk, Andrew Quaisley, Katie Tucker, and Nick Owad, many of whom have gone on to academic positions at institutions like North Dakota State University, Hood College, and Spelman College. She has organized multiple research conferences including the International Conference on Geometric and Combinatorial Methods in Group Theory and Semigroup Theory in 2000 and 2009.
She is actively involved with the Groups-Semigroups-Topology (GST) seminar at UNL, which she has helped organize for many years and continues to participate in as of 2023. The seminar serves as a hub for research in geometric group theory, semigroup theory, and low-dimensional topology, featuring both local and international researchers.
