Maggie Miller is a mathematician specializing in low-dimensional topology, currently serving as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She previously held a position at the University of Texas, Austin, and earned her Ph.D. in 2020 from Princeton University under the supervision of David Gabai. Education: Ph.D. in Mathematics (Princeton University, 2020) Her research focuses on 3- and 4-manifolds, leveraging algebraic, combinatorial, geometric, and topological techniques to solve long-standing problems. Key contributions include developing a theory of singular fibrations in 4-manifolds and resolving a 35-year-old problem by Casson and Gordon related to fibered ribbon knots. She actively collaborates on diverse topics such as topological versus smooth isotopy, taut foliations, concordance, trisections, and knot Floer homology. Maggie's work intersects multiple subfields within topology, including Knot Theory , Manifold Theory , and Differential Topology , with a strong emphasis on geometric structures and their applications. While her recent publications aren't listed here, her research trends center on topological invariants and their implications in mathematical physics. Scientific Awards: Clay Research Fellow
Professor Gary Gibbons is a distinguished academic at the University of Cambridge, holding the position of Professor of Theoretical Physics within the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP), part of the Faculty of Mathematics. His research focuses on general relativity, quantum gravity, cosmology, and black hole physics. He is a core member of the Relativity and Gravitation Group, known for contributions to gravitational wave theory, black hole thermodynamics, and geometric methods in physics. His work intersects with areas such as the memory effect of gravitational waves, Carroll symmetry, and the mathematical structure of spacetime. Prof. Gibbons collaborates internationally, publishing extensively in top journals like Physical Review D and Classical and Quantum Gravity . His research also extends to applied mathematics, including studies on abrasion processes and shape evolution in geosciences. He maintains an active role in theoretical physics, advising graduate students and contributing to the academic community through lectures and seminars.
Vasu Tewari is an Assistant Professor (CLTA) at the University of Toronto, working across both the Downtown Toronto (St. George) and Mississauga (UTM) campuses. Their office is located at HU1015 (215 Huron), and they can be reached at vasu.tewari@utoronto.ca. As a member of the Department of Mathematics within the Faculty of Arts and Science, Professor Tewari contributes to both teaching and research activities at the university. Professor Tewari's research focuses on advanced topics in algebraic combinatorics, with particular expertise in: Quasisymmetric functions and their geometric interpretations Schubert polynomial theory and related structures Representation theory of symmetric groups and related algebras Combinatorial aspects of algebraic geometry Enumerative combinatorics with connections to symmetric functions Algebraic structures arising from combinatorial objects Analysis of Professor Tewari's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on the interplay between combinatorial structures and algebraic frameworks. Their work often explores generalizations of classical symmetric function theory through the lens of quasisymmetric functions, providing new insights into Schubert calculus, permutation statistics, and geometric combinatorics. A notable trend in their research is the investigation of stability phenomena in combinatorial structures and the development of new algebraic tools for studying these phenomena. Professor Tewari has made significant contributions to understanding the geometry of combinatorial objects through algebraic methods, particularly in the areas of permutahedral varieties, zonotopal algebras, and quiver representations. Their work bridges pure mathematics with potential applications in theoretical physics and computer science.
Georgios Dimitroglou Rizell is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mathematics at Uppsala University, Sweden, where he also serves as Head of the Department since 2020. His academic work is centered at the Ångström Laboratory, where he conducts research in symplectic and contact topology. He maintains dual affiliations with both the Department of Mathematics and the Center for Geometry and Physics at Uppsala University. Dr. Dimitroglou Rizell earned his PhD from Uppsala University in 2012 under the supervision of Tobias Ekholm. Following his doctoral studies, he held postdoctoral positions at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (2012-2013), Université Paris-Sud (2013-2014), and the University of Cambridge (2014-2015), all supported by prestigious fellowships from the Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation. He returned to Uppsala University as a researcher (2015-2017) and Assistant Lecturer (2017-2021) before being promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2021. His research primarily focuses on symplectic and contact topology, with special emphasis on understanding and classifying Lagrangian and Legendrian submanifolds. His work employs advanced mathematical techniques including pseudoholomorphic curves, pseudoholomorphic foliations, Symplectic Field Theory, and Floer homology. His investigations span a broad range of topics within geometric topology, from the classification of Lagrangians near the Whitney immersion to the study of Legendrian submanifolds and their invariants. His research has significant implications for understanding the geometric structures underlying classical mechanics and quantum physics. His recent publications (2020-2025) demonstrate a consistent focus on Lagrangian and Legendrian submanifolds, with particular attention to their classification, invariants, and interactions with symplectic structures. A notable trend is the development of new techniques for studying C^0-limits of Legendrians, exact Lagrangians in various settings, and the geometric generation of Fukaya categories. His collaborative work with researchers like Michael Sullivan, Roman Golovko, and others has produced significant advances in Floer theory and symplectic field theory. Scientific Awards Wallenberg Scholar (2023-2028, KAW 2023.0294) Wallenberg Academy Fellow (extension 2022-2027, KAW 2021.0191) Wallenberg Scholar (2022-2023, KAW 2021.0300) Wallenberg Academy Fellow (2017-2021, KAW 2016.0198) As Head of the Department of Mathematics, Dr. Dimitroglou Rizell oversees academic programs and research initiatives. His leadership is supported by significant funding from the Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation, which has awarded him multiple prestigious fellowships throughout his career. These grants have enabled his research in symplectic geometry and supported collaborative projects with international mathematicians. Dr. Dimitroglou Rizell is actively involved in the Center for Geometry and Physics at Uppsala University, where he collaborates with researchers across mathematical disciplines. His work intersects with theoretical physics, particularly in areas related to geometric quantization and the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. He participates in seminar series and reading groups focused on symplectic topology and its applications.
Elias Jarlebring is a Professor in Numerical Linear Algebra at the Department of Mathematics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm. He has held the position of Full Professor since 2021, following his tenure as Associate Professor (2013-2021) and Dahlquist Research Fellow (2011-2013). His research focuses on numerical analysis, numerical linear algebra, matrix computations, and scientific computing. Jarlebring develops linear algebra algorithms to solve problems from various fields including systems and control, acoustics, electromagnetics, data science, quantum mechanics, and quantum chemistry. He is a core developer of NEP-PACK, a scientific computing software package for nonlinear eigenproblems. His recent publications demonstrate significant contributions to computational methods for nonlinear eigenvalue problems, matrix functions, and parameterized linear systems. The research shows a clear trajectory toward increasingly complex applications in quantum computing, data science, and wave propagation problems. Project grant, Swedish research council (2019) Ruth och Nils-Erik Stenbäcks foundation, junior grant (2019) Göran Gustafsson Prize for junior researchers (2014) Project grant for junior researchers, Swedish research council (2014-2018) Professor Jarlebring has supervised numerous PhD students including Vilhelm Peterson Lithell, Gustaf Lorentzon, Siobhán Correnty, Parikshit Upadhyaya, Emil Ringh, Antti Koskela, and Giampaolo Mele. He has received multiple research grants from the Swedish Research Council and serves as editor for BIT Numerical Mathematics, Linear and Multilinear Algebra, NACO Numerical Algebra Control and Optimization, and CALCOLO. He is actively involved in the numerical linear algebra community as a member of ILAS (International Linear Algebra Society), GAMM Activity Group on Numerical Linear Algebra, and the Nordic Numerical Linear Algebra Association. He also contributes to open source projects, particularly in the Julia programming language ecosystem.
Richard Thomas FRS is a Royal Society Research Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Imperial College London, affiliated with the Faculty of Natural Sciences. His research focuses on algebraic geometry, Calabi-Yau manifolds, derived categories of coherent sheaves, and moduli problems. He holds a prestigious position as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). His work bridges pure mathematics and theoretical physics, particularly in areas like mirror symmetry and string theory. Key themes include enumerative geometry, stability conditions, and geometric invariants. Recent publications (2020–2025) explore advanced topics such as wall-crossing phenomena, K-theoretic invariants, and applications of derived categories to moduli spaces. His contributions have significantly impacted modern algebraic geometry and its interdisciplinary connections.
Prof. Dr. Kai Cieliebak is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Augsburg, where he holds the Chair of Analysis and Geometry within the Institute of Mathematics under the Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Materials Engineering. He has been at Augsburg University since 2012, following a professorship at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München from 2001-2012. His research group includes several researchers and postdocs working on symplectic geometry and related fields. Dr. Cieliebak earned his Diplom in mathematics summa cum laude from Ruhruniversität Bochum in 1992, with thesis on "Pseudo-holomorphe Kurven und periodische Orbits auf Cotangential Bündeln" under advisor H. Hofer. He completed his PhD in mathematics at ETH Zürich in 1996, with thesis "Symplectic boundaries: closed characteristics and action spectra," also advised by H. Hofer. His academic journey included positions at Harvard University, Stanford University, and research at IBM Zürich before his professorships in Munich and Augsburg. Prof. Cieliebak's research focuses on symplectic and contact geometry , with significant contributions to understanding symplectic manifolds, Lagrangian and Legendrian knots, Stein manifolds, and string topology. His work in Hamiltonian dynamics explores variational methods, periodic orbits, and celestial mechanics problems, particularly the restricted three-body problem. In global analysis , he investigates solution spaces of elliptic PDEs and symplectic field theory. His approach often bridges differential geometry, topology, and dynamical systems, with applications to mathematical physics. Over the past decade, Prof. Cieliebak's publications reveal a consistent focus on symplectic homology, Floer theory, and their applications to geometric problems. His work shows increasing integration of algebraic structures with geometric methods, particularly in cyclic homology and string topology. Recent research demonstrates strong collaboration with Urs Frauenfelder on celestial mechanics problems, applying symplectic techniques to the restricted three-body problem and related orbital dynamics. Prof. Cieliebak has secured significant research funding throughout his career, including multiple DFG grants under project codes CI 45/1 through CI 45/12, NSF grants, and participation in European Science Foundation networking programs. His most notable grants include "Foundations of Symplectic Field Theory" (2009-2015) and the current "Rabinowitz Floer Homology" project (since 2023), both in collaboration with U. Frauenfelder. He has mentored numerous researchers and maintains an active research group at Augsburg University, including postdocs and collaborators working on symplectic geometry problems. His team includes researchers such as Dr. Filip Broćić, Zhen Gao, Dr. Hanna Häußler, Emilia Konrad, Shuaipeng Liu, Dominik Meidert, Dr. Airi Takeuchi, Dr. Evgeny Volkov, Milan Zerbin, and PD Dr. Lei Zhao. Prof. Cieliebak has also organized numerous workshops on symplectic geometry, including the annual "Symplectic Field Theory" workshop series.
Gene Cooperman is a Professor at the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University, with an affiliation in the College of Engineering. His research focuses on high-performance computing (HPC), transparent checkpoint-restart systems, and model checking. He leads the High Performance Computing Laboratory, where he explores checkpointing technologies like DMTCP, MANA for MPI, and CRAC for CUDA, aiming to enhance HPC workflows on supercomputers such as NERSC's Perlmutter. His work bridges distributed computing, parallel algorithms, and system software to address challenges in fault tolerance, scalability, and resource management. Cooperman has advised 10 PhD students and co-authored over 125 refereed publications, contributing to projects like Geant4-MultiThreaded and Roomy for disk-based computation. His teaching includes courses on computer systems and HPC seminars. Education: Background in computational algebra and parallel computing, transitioning to HPC systems and checkpointing. Research Themes: Transparent checkpointing, MPI agnostic solutions, CUDA integration, and HPC resource optimization. Recent articles emphasize MPI checkpointing, reversible debugging (FReD), and CUDA support, reflecting trends in distributed and GPU-accelerated systems. His grants include NSF, NERSC/DOE, and MemVerge funding. Cooperman collaborates with institutions like CERN and NERSC, advancing applications in particle physics simulations and supercomputing. Current students include Aayushi Gautam, Jiajun Cao, Rohan Garg, and Twinkle Jain.
Elena Mantovan is the Taussky-Todd-Lonergan Professor of Mathematics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), within the Department of Mathematics under the Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy. She holds a Laurea from the University of Padova (1995), an M.A. from Harvard University (1998), and a Ph.D. from Harvard (2002). Her research focuses on Arithmetic Geometry and Number Theory, particularly the study of moduli spaces of abelian varieties, Barsotti-Tate groups, and the arithmetic theory of Shimura varieties. Her work contributes to the Langlands program, exploring connections between automorphic forms and Galois representations. Elena joined Caltech as an Assistant Professor in 2005, advancing to Associate Professor (2010), full Professor (2010-2023), and her current title (2023-). She served as Executive Officer for the Department of Mathematics from 2016 to 2019. Her research interests emphasize Shimura varieties, Newton stratifications, and cohomological studies, reflecting her expertise in algebraic geometry and number theory. Despite no listed awards, her scholarly contributions include foundational work on Rapoport-Zink spaces and Igusa varieties. Elena’s advising and grants are not explicitly detailed in the provided texts, though her role as an academic leader suggests involvement in mentorship and institutional projects. She maintains an office in Sloan Hall and collaborates on initiatives like the Southern California Number Theory Day Conference and the Number Theory seminar.
Kevin Costello is a Professor and the Krembil William Rowan Hamilton Chair in Theoretical Physics at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. His research focuses on mathematical physics, particularly exploring string theory and quantum field theory through rigorous mathematical frameworks. Key areas include twisted holography, integrable systems, and the AdS/CFT correspondence. He holds prestigious awards such as the Royal Society Fellowship and the Leonard Eisenbud Prize for Mathematics and Physics. Costello’s work bridges advanced mathematical techniques with foundational questions in theoretical physics. His recent contributions include studies on celestial holography, self-dual gauge theories, and factorization algebras. He actively participates in academic seminars and teaches graduate courses on mathematical physics, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding quantum phenomena. Awards: Royal Society Fellow (2018), Berwick Prize (2017), Leonard Eisenbud Prize (2020). Research Themes: Mathematical foundations of string theory, holographic dualities, integrable systems in gauge theories. His publications often explore cutting-edge topics like holographic correspondences in asymptotically flat spacetimes and algebraic structures in quantum field theory. Costello collaborates widely, contributing to both theoretical advancements and pedagogical initiatives in mathematical physics.
Prof. Sebastian Rudolph is a Professor of Computational Logic at the Institute for Artificial Intelligence , Faculty of Computer Science , TU Dresden. Since 2021, he has been an Affiliate Member of the Faculty of Mathematics. His research spans theoretical and applied artificial intelligence, focusing on Knowledge Representation and Reasoning through formalisms like Description Logics, Existential Rules, and Formal Concept Analysis, with applications in Semantic Technologies. 2017 : ERC Consolidator Grant for decidability principles in logic-based knowledge representation 2006-2013 : Postdoctoral researcher, project leader, and Privatdozent at KIT's Institute AIFB 2011 : Habilitation at KIT Earlier : PhD in Algebra and teaching qualification in mathematics, physics, and computer science at TU Dresden His recent publications address decidability of logical reasoning, non-monotonic extensions in formal concept analysis, standpoint logics, and multiagent systems. He supervises the DeciGUT and KIMEDS projects, and is involved in the SECAI and ScaDS.AI centers. Teaching activities include courses on Theoretical Computer Science, Existential Rules, and Formal Concept Analysis.
Magnus Bakke Botnan is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Mathematics, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, holding a VIDI career grant (€850,000) since 2018. His research bridges pure and applied mathematics within topological data analysis (TDA), focusing on multiparameter persistence, computational topology, and applications to sciences. PhD in Mathematics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 2015 Postdoc at TU Munich, 2016-2018 His research group includes postdocs Hannah Rocio Santa Cruz Baur and Rui Dong, and PhD student Enes Devecioğlu. Recent work involves signed barcodes, rank decompositions, and stability of persistence modules. He co-authored the first comprehensive tutorial on multiparameter persistence with Mike Lesnick. Notable contributions include proving the NP-hardness of computing interleaving distance, establishing universality of bottleneck distance for extended persistence diagrams, and developing computational methods for non-branching complexes. Publications span journals like Foundations of Computational Mathematics , Discrete & Computational Geometry , and conferences SoCG, NeurIPS, and ICRA. Scientific Awards: VIDI Career Grant (€850,000) He has taught courses including Complex Analysis, Calculus, Topological Data Analysis, and seminars on analysis and dynamical systems. Actively organizes Applied Topology Days and collaborates on projects integrating TDA with physics, computer science, and statistics.
Sami H. Assaf is a Gabilan Distinguished Professor of Science and Engineering and Professor of Mathematics at the University of Southern California. He currently serves as Director of Graduate Studies for the Department of Mathematics and was named a Dean's Leadership Fellow for Physical Sciences and Mathematics in 2024. His academic career spans from CLE Moore Instructor at MIT (2008-2011) through Assistant Professor (2012-2019), Associate Professor (2019-2022), to his current position as Professor (2022-present). Dr. Assaf earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley in 2007 under Mark Haiman, with his dissertation titled "Dual equivalence graphs, ribbon tableaux and Macdonald polynomials." He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Notre Dame in 2001, graduating summa cum laude with Honors in Mathematics and Philosophy. His research primarily focuses on symmetric function theory and its rich interplay with algebraic combinatorics, representation theory, and algebraic geometry. Dr. Assaf's recent publications center on polynomial generalizations of symmetric functions, including Schubert polynomials, Demazure characters, and nonsymmetric Macdonald polynomials. His work has established important connections between combinatorial structures and representation-theoretic objects, particularly through the development of dual equivalence and weak dual equivalence frameworks. Dr. Assaf's research has been consistently supported by multiple National Science Foundation grants (most recently DMS-2246785) and Simons Foundation Collaboration Grants (most recently Award 953878). His publication record shows remarkable productivity with over 40 papers in top mathematics journals since 2005, including numerous collaborations with graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Among his honors are the Gabilan Distinguished Professorship (2023), multiple USC Mentoring Awards (2017, 2024), the Herb Alexander Prize for outstanding dissertation (2007), and both the National Science Foundation and National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Research Fellowships. As an educator and mentor, Dr. Assaf has successfully guided numerous Ph.D. students to completion, including Henry Ehrhard, Grant Bowles, and Peter Kagey. He also founded and directs the Venice Math Circle, an innovative early math education program that uses creative approaches like dinosaur sorting and building blocks to teach deep mathematical concepts to children from Pre-K through 8th grade, emphasizing discovery and analytical thinking over rote memorization.
Christiana Mavroyiakoumou is a Courant Instructor/Assistant Professor at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University. She specializes in fluid dynamics and fluid-structure interactions, with a focus on vortex dynamics, membrane flutter, and bio-inspired systems. Her research integrates modeling, numerical simulations, and experimental insights to study phenomena such as bird flock formations and fish swimming hydrodynamics. Mavroyiakoumou holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan (2022), an M.Sc. from the University of Oxford (2017), and a B.Sc. from Imperial College London (2016). Education: PhD in Applied & Interdisciplinary Mathematics, University of Michigan (2017–2022) MSc in Mathematical Modeling and Scientific Computing, University of Oxford (2016–2017) BSc in Mathematics, Imperial College London (2013–2016) Her research interests span fluid-structure interactions, vortex dynamics, and collective locomotion. She investigates how fluid flows mediate interactions between bodies, such as the aerodynamics of bird formations and the hydrodynamics of flapping foils. Her work bridges theoretical models with experimental observations, contributing to both fundamental science and bio-inspired engineering. Mavroyiakoumou has received prestigious awards including the Joseph B. Keller Fellowship (NYU), Peter Smereka Award (U-M), and ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation (U-M). She actively engages in academic service, organizing conferences and mentoring students. Her teaching experience includes courses on mathematical modeling, differential equations, and algebra at NYU and the University of Michigan. Key Research Themes: Flow-mediated collective behavior and instability mechanisms Vortex wake interactions and their role in locomotion Membrane dynamics in inviscid and viscous flows She collaborates with experimentalists like Leif Ristroph and Jun Zhang at NYU's Applied Math Lab, focusing on experimental validation of theoretical models. Her recent work explores self-amplifying waves in bird formations and the aerodynamic origins of flight coordination.
Melanie Weber is an Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at Harvard University's John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), leading the Geometric Machine Learning Group. Her research focuses on leveraging geometric structures in data for designing efficient machine learning and optimization algorithms with theoretical guarantees. She holds a PhD from Princeton University (2021) and has held fellowships at the Mathematical Institute of Oxford, Brasenose College, and the Simons Institute. Her work bridges geometry, optimization, and machine learning, with funding from NSF, Sloan Foundation, and Harvard initiatives. Education : PhD in Applied Mathematics, Princeton University (2021) BSc/MSc in Mathematics and Physics, University of Leipzig (2016) Research Interests : Dr. Weber's research integrates geometric principles into machine learning and optimization, focusing on non-Euclidean spaces, graph structures, and manifold-based methods. Key areas include optimization on Riemannian manifolds, curvature-based analysis (e.g., Ricci curvature), and developing algorithms resilient to data geometry challenges like over-smoothing in graph neural networks. Her work emphasizes theoretical foundations while addressing practical scalability in high-dimensional data. Awards & Recognition : 2024 Sloan Research Fellowship 2023 Leslie Fox Prize in Numerical Analysis 2023 NSF Grant for Geometric Optimization Grants & Funding : Supported by National Science Foundation (NSF), Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Aramont Foundation, Harvard Dean’s Fund, and Harvard Data Science Initiative. Labs & Collaborations : Leads the Geometric Machine Learning Group at SEAS, collaborating with institutions like MIT, Max Planck Institute, and industry labs (Facebook, Google, Microsoft). Active in organizing workshops on geometric methods and curvature analysis.
