Tian An Wong

Tian An Wong is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, with affiliations in the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters and the Center for Southeast Asian Studies. They are actively involved in research at the intersection of pure mathematics and social justice issues.

Dr. Wong's educational background includes a PhD in Mathematics from the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center (2016) and a BA in Mathematics from Vassar College (2011).

Wong's research spans both pure mathematics and applied areas with social relevance. Their primary mathematical interests include:

• Number Theory, particularly modular forms and L-functions
• Representation Theory
• Automorphic Forms
• Topological Data Analysis applied to social issues
• Causal inference in policing data

Wong has published extensively in both pure mathematics journals and interdisciplinary venues. Their recent work shows a strong trend toward applying mathematical techniques to analyze police violence, predictive policing algorithms, and social justice issues. This dual focus on theoretical mathematics and socially relevant applications makes their research program distinctive.

Notable scientific contributions include:

• Work on Bianchi modular forms and their applications
• Research on Dedekind sums and their connections to number theory
• Analysis of police violence using topological data analysis
• Critical examinations of predictive policing algorithms

Wong advises numerous students, particularly on projects that bridge pure mathematics with social justice applications. They lead the Blue Data Lab, which studies police violence, surveillance, and technology, and are involved in the Mathematical and Computational Approaches to Social Justice initiative.

Wong is also active in public scholarship, writing for venues like the AMS Inclusion/Exclusion blog, Times Higher Education, and Critical Asian Studies, where they address issues of race, equity, and the role of mathematics in society.