Maria Rita Casali is a Full Professor at the Department of Physical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. Her research focuses on geometry, topology, and mathematical structures, particularly in relation to PL-manifolds and colored tensor models. Teaching: Courses in Geometry, Discrete Mathematics, and Linear Algebra for Engineering and Strategic Sciences degrees. Research: Investigates combinatorial invariants (regular genus, G-degree, gem-complexity) for compact 4-manifolds, linking them to quantum gravity and tensor models. Publications: Recent works include studies on trisections of 4-manifolds, classifications via colored graphs, and combinatorial properties of the G-degree. Her contributions to crystallization theory and PL-manifold representation have advanced the understanding of geometric topology and its applications in theoretical physics.
Yi Lai is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). He earned his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley in 2021 under Richard Bamler and served as a Szego Assistant Professor at Stanford University (2021–2024), mentored by Otis Chodosh. His research centers on geometric analysis, with a focus on Ricci flows, steady gradient solitons, and the geometry of 3-manifolds. Dr. Lai's work explores the construction and classification of geometric structures like flying wing solitons, convergence properties of Ricci flow, and curvature behavior in low-dimensional manifolds. His publications frequently address long-time existence of geometric flows and symmetry in solitons, blending PDE theory with differential geometry. At UCI, he teaches courses such as Linear Algebra (Math 121A). No awards, grants, or supervised students are mentioned in available sources.
Jee Choi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science within the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Oregon. His research focuses on developing high-performance algorithms for big data analytics, particularly in tensor decomposition and parallel computing systems. Education: PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015 MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004 BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2000 Research Interests: Dr. Choi specializes in High Performance Computing with expertise in parallel algorithm design, performance modeling, and energy efficiency. His work targets Tensor Decomposition & Data Mining for big data, developing scalable solutions for sparse and dense tensor computations. He advocates leveraging HPC systems to transform massive datasets into societal benefits through efficient data mining techniques. Publication Trends: Choi's recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate consistent innovation in tensor decomposition methodologies, with increasing focus on adaptive storage (Alto), streaming data factorization, and energy-aware autotuning. His work spans GPU clusters, distributed systems, and emerging architectures, maintaining strong connections to real-world big data challenges while advancing theoretical algorithm design. Professional Background: After completing his PhD under Richard Vuduc at Georgia Tech (notable for SpMV GPU autotuning and Energy Roofline Model), Choi conducted DoD-funded research on tensor decomposition at IBM Watson Research Center (2015-2018) before joining the University of Oregon faculty.
Christian Bargetz is a Professor of Functional Analysis at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, affiliated with the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Physics (MIP). His primary research focuses on nonlinear functional analysis, Banach space theory, and distribution theory. He teaches advanced courses such as Optimization, Distribution Theory, and Functional Analysis, demonstrating his expertise in both theoretical and applied aspects of his field. Education: Completed his PhD in 2012 at the University of Innsbruck under the supervision of Norbert Ortner. His diploma thesis (2008) explored differential behaviors with Ulrich Oberst. Bargetz has held continuous academic positions since 2008, including roles as a lecturer and researcher. Research Interests: Specializes in iterative projection methods, generic properties of nonexpansive mappings, Fréchet spaces, and vector-valued distributions. His work bridges functional analysis with geometric measure theory and optimization, with applications in metric geometry and topological tensor products. Publications: Over 30 peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals such as Canadian Journal of Mathematics , Journal of Mathematical Analysis and Applications , and Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society . Recent work includes studies on extremal nonexpansive mappings and Lipschitz function spaces. Grants & Projects: Principal investigator in FWF-funded projects on nonexpansive mappings and Banach spaces. Collaborates internationally, including with institutions in Israel, Poland, and Serbia. Teaching: Leads advanced courses in functional analysis, optimization, and distribution theory. Supervises bachelor's theses and master's projects on topics like extension operators for Lipschitz functions. Affiliations: Active member of the Functional Analysis working group and regularly participates in international conferences such as the Banach Afternoon, Winter School in Abstract Analysis, and DMV-ÖMG Annual Conferences.
Vladimir Kazeev is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Mathematics, University of Vienna , where he has held a faculty position since 2019. He also held previous academic appointments as a Szegő Assistant Professor at Stanford University (2017–2019), a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva (2015–2017), and research positions at ETH Zurich (2011–2015), Russian Academy of Sciences (2008–2011), and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (2009). His research focuses on adaptive, data-driven numerical methods for differential equations, nonlinear low-parametric approximation, and numerical linear algebra. His work intersects computational mathematics, tensor methods, and high-dimensional problem-solving, particularly in the context of partial differential equations (PDEs) and stochastic modeling. The 15 most recent publications reveal a strong emphasis on quantized tensor-structured methods for PDEs, low-rank approximations, and high-dimensional numerical analysis. His research spans theoretical advancements in tensor decomposition, practical applications in chemical reaction networks, and novel discretization techniques for multiscale and degenerate diffusion problems. Scientific awards include the prestigious ETH Medal for outstanding doctoral theses (2016) Russian Academy of Sciences Medal for outstanding student works in mathematics (2011) Advising and teaching activities include supervising Jason Zhu (Stanford, 2019) and Simon Etter (ETH Zurich, 2014), as well as teaching advanced courses in tensor methods, numerical analysis, and PDEs at the University of Vienna, Stanford University, and the University of Geneva. His service to the community includes peer review for 15+ journals and co-organizing minisymposia at SIAM meetings.
Ashley M R Montanaro is a Professor of Quantum Computation at the School of Mathematics, University of Bristol . Active in quantum computing research since at least 2014, they lead projects at the intersection of quantum algorithms , computational complexity , and quantum information theory , affiliated with the Bristol Quantum Information Institute. Research interests focus on quantum algorithm design , computational complexity analysis , and quantum simulation . Key work includes developing variational quantum algorithms for phase transition detection, Hamiltonian simulation techniques, and quantum-classical hybrid methods for solving complex problems in physics and optimization. Recent publications demonstrate expertise in: Quantum phase diagram simulation with low-depth circuits Quantum speedups for constraint satisfaction problems Quantum communication complexity of machine learning tasks Quantum-enhanced optimization heuristics Hamiltonian simulation with time-dependent product formulas Quantum algorithm complexity analysis Scientific awards include: EPSRC Fellowship (2014-2019) - "New insights in quantum algorithms and complexity" Active in quantum software development through projects like: "Quantum Algorithms from Foundations to Applications" (ERC-2018-COG) "Quantum Computing and Simulation Hub" (2019-2024) "Prosperity Partnership in Quantum Software" (2019-2023)
Olof Runborg is a Professor in Numerical Analysis at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, Sweden. He works in the Division of Numerical Analysis, Optimization and Systems Theory within the Department of Mathematics at KTH. His research focuses on developing and analyzing numerical methods for partial differential equations, particularly for wave propagation problems. His educational background includes: MSc in Electrical Engineering from KTH (1992) BSc in Economics & Business Administration from SSE (1994) PhD in Numerical Analysis/Applied Mathematics from KTH (1998) Postdoc at Paris VI University (1999) Postdoc at Princeton University's Program in Applied and Computational Mathematics (2000-2001) Became Docent at NADA in 2003 Appointed Professor at KTH in 2010 Professor Runborg's research centers on the numerical treatment of partial differential equations, with special emphasis on wave propagation problems. His work spans multiple areas including high-frequency waves, multiscale phenomena, numerical homogenization, uncertainty quantification, multiresolution analysis, Gaussian beams, and mesh generation. A recurring theme in his research is developing methods to solve computationally expensive problems more efficiently while maintaining accuracy. His approach often involves coupling different numerical methods or reformulating equations to create more efficient computational approaches. His research has applications across physics and engineering domains where wave phenomena are important. An analysis of his recent publications (2015-2025) shows continued focus on high-frequency wave propagation with expanding applications to areas like the Landau-Lifshitz equation for magnetic materials and elastic wave propagation. His work bridges theoretical numerical analysis with practical computational techniques, often developing novel methods like the WaveHoltz iteration for solving the Helmholtz equation. The publications demonstrate increasing attention to uncertainty quantification and multiscale methods while maintaining strong theoretical foundations in error analysis. Professor Runborg teaches several courses at KTH including Numerical Methods (basic course), Applied Numerical Methods, Numerical Algorithms for Data-Intensive Science, and Selected Topics in Numerical Analysis II. He serves as examiner for degree projects in Scientific Computing. His teaching reflects his research expertise in numerical methods and computational mathematics, providing students with both theoretical foundations and practical implementation skills. Beyond his core research, Professor Runborg has engaged in interesting side projects, such as his analysis of 'Numbers on the Web' where he investigated the frequency of numbers 11-1000 in web content, revealing patterns related to dates, time, computer systems, and cultural phenomena. This demonstrates his broader interest in data analysis and computational approaches to understanding patterns in information.
Yuguo Chen is a Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), serving as Interim Department Chair and Director of the Illinois Statistics Office. He holds affiliations with the Department of Computer Science, Information Trust Institute, Coordinated Science Lab, and Illinois Informatics Institute. Chen earned his PhD in Statistics from Stanford University (2001) and a B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Science and Technology of China (1997). His research focuses on Monte Carlo methods, network data analysis, state space models, bioinformatics, and Bayesian inference. Key interests include scalable network estimation, community detection, and applications in public health, education, and computational biology. Recent work highlights include advancements in dynamic network modeling, Bayesian latent class models for cognitive diagnosis, and statistical methods for analyzing multi-layer networks. His contributions have been recognized through awards such as the American Statistical Association Fellowship (2018) and the Charles Edison Lectureship (2018). Editorial Roles: Associate Editor of Journal of the American Statistical Association , Journal of Computational and Graphical Statistics , and Journal of Algebraic Statistics . Grants & Consulting: Directs the Illinois Statistics Office, providing interdisciplinary research support. Active in collaborative projects involving healthcare, education, and computational infrastructure. Labs & Teams: Leads initiatives at the Coordinated Science Lab and Information Trust Institute, integrating statistical methods with cybersecurity and data-driven decision-making.
Professor Paul Goulart is a full Professor of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and Tutorial Fellow at St Edmund Hall, positions he has held since 2014. He leads research and teaching in robust optimization, control systems, and high-speed numerical methods, with applications spanning fluid flows, traffic networks, and economics. Education SB & MSc, Aeronautics and Astronautics – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) PhD, Control Engineering – University of Cambridge (Gates Scholar, 2007) Research Interests Professor Goulart’s work lies at the intersection of control engineering and optimization . His core expertise includes: Robust and high-speed convex optimization Model predictive control (MPC) and control barrier functions Neural-network-based control and system identification Optimization over traffic and economic networks Real-time and embedded optimization solvers These interests are reflected in prolific publication output and active supervision of doctoral researchers. Publications & Trends From 2020 to 2025 Professor Goulart has co-authored more than thirty papers. A dominant theme is the development of fast, reliable algorithms for conic optimization and robust control , often leveraging machine-learning techniques to enhance scalability and real-time performance. Recent works emphasize safety certificates, GPU-accelerated solvers, and neural-network controllers for uncertain systems. Awards & Honors Gates Cambridge Scholar (2003) Advising & Grants Professor Goulart actively seeks DPhil students in control engineering and optimization . He leads the Control Group within the Department of Engineering Science and has been involved in multiple industrially funded projects, although specific grant identifiers are not provided in the supplied text. Laboratory & Teams He is a member of the Control Group , Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, and serves as Secretary to the Governing Body of St Edmund Hall (Michaelmas Term 2024).
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.
Lili Zheng is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Statistics at the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on statistical methodology, machine learning, and high-dimensional data analysis with applications in neuroscience and network science. Key areas of expertise include graphical models, stochastic processes, and algorithmic optimization. She collaborates extensively on projects involving functional connectivity analysis, neuronal data imputation, and interpretable machine learning frameworks. Her work bridges statistical theory and computational practice, addressing challenges in model inference, feature importance assessment, and low-rank tensor completion. Notable contributions include techniques for distribution-free inference, spectral clustering in patchwork learning, and Gaussian process parameter estimation using mini-batch stochastic gradient descent. Dr. Zheng's research emphasizes interdisciplinary applications, particularly in neuroimaging (calcium imaging, functional connectivity) and multi-modal data integration. She actively explores statistical challenges in big data contexts, emphasizing robust methodologies for real-world datasets.
Pavel Etingof is Professor of Mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Department of Mathematics, where he has been a distinguished faculty member for many years. He serves as the Chief Research Adviser of MIT-PRIMES, an all-year high school math research program that provides exceptional research opportunities for talented high school students. Additionally, he holds the prestigious position of Editor-in-Chief of Selecta Mathematica. Professor Etingof's research spans multiple advanced areas of pure mathematics with a particular focus on representation theory, tensor categories, Lie algebras, Hecke algebras, and algebraic structures. His work consistently bridges algebra, geometry, and mathematical physics, revealing deep connections between abstract algebraic structures and physical phenomena. His research has evolved to increasingly explore tensor categories in positive characteristic, connections between representation theory and fractal structures, and applications to quantum field theory. His recent publications (2021-2025) demonstrate continued productivity and innovation, with numerous papers on tensor categories in various characteristics, representation theory of Lie groups, and connections to mathematical physics. These works show sophisticated exploration of representation theory in prime characteristic, novel applications to quantum field theory, and deep investigations into the structure of tensor categories. Editor-in-Chief of Selecta Mathematica Chief Research Adviser of MIT-PRIMES Professor Etingof has mentored numerous Ph.D. students at MIT and other institutions, establishing a significant mathematical genealogy in representation theory. His teaching includes advanced courses on algebraic groups, Lie theory, representation theory, and specialized topics. He has also co-organized many student seminars on cutting-edge mathematical topics including Deligne categories, symplectic reflection algebras, quantum cohomology, and double affine Hecke algebras, fostering collaborative research environments for students and colleagues.
Markus Hausmann is a Professor of Topology at the University of Bonn since 2023. His research focuses on equivariant homotopy theory , with groundbreaking work on bordism theory and symmetry of spaces, including a 2022 publication in the Annals of Mathematics . He received the prestigious Minkowski Medal 2025 from the German Mathematical Society (DMV) for his outstanding contributions to mathematics. Current affiliation: University of Bonn (2023–present) Former roles: University Lecturer at Stockholm University (2021–2023), Postdoc at University of Copenhagen and Bonn Education: Mathematics studies at University of Bonn with a semester abroad at MIT His ERC Starting Grant 'BorSym' explores bordism of symmetries using algebraic methods, funded for five years. His work intersects topology , algebraic structures , and equivariant cohomology , with recent publications addressing symmetric spectra, global group laws, and subgroup lattices. The Minkowski Medal recognizes his international acclaim as a young mathematician. Scientific Awards : Minkowski Medal 2025 (DMV) Markus Hausmann's research bridges equivariant homotopy theory with applications to derived orbifolds and global symmetries , advancing foundational understanding in these areas.
Dr. Xiaofeng Qian is an Associate Professor in the Department of Materials Science & Engineering at Texas A&M University, with joint appointments in Physics and Astronomy, and Electrical & Computer Engineering. His research focuses on materials theory , quantum materials design , and high-throughput computational discovery , particularly for 2D materials and energy applications . Educational Background: Ph.D., Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2008) B.S., Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University (2001) Research spans first-principles electronic structure methods , nonlinear optical responses , and multiscale modeling of electronic, thermal, and ionic transport. Key areas include quantum spin Hall effect , ferroelectric switching , and machine learning for materials prediction . Notable Awards: Dean of Engineering Excellence Award (2024) Engineering Genesis Multidisciplinary Award (2024) AZZ Faculty Fellow (2021) NSF CAREER Award (2018) Manson Benedict Fellowship (2006) Actively recruiting PhD, MS, and UG researchers with backgrounds in physics, materials science, or computational methods. Collaborates extensively on hybrid AI-materials projects and topological device concepts .
Laurens Lootens is a Researcher in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) at the University of Cambridge. His work focuses on theoretical physics, particularly in quantum lattice models, topological phases of matter, and mathematical structures underlying quantum systems. He is affiliated with the High Energy Physics research group within DAMTP. His research interests include dualities in quantum systems, matrix product operator symmetries, conformal field theories, and tensor network methods. Lootens explores topics such as entanglement in many-body systems, symmetry-protected topological phases, and the interplay between algebraic structures and physical phenomena. Publications highlight his contributions to understanding lattice representations of dualities, topological sectors in quantum models, and critical lattice models for conformal field theories. His work bridges theoretical frameworks with computational methods, advancing both fundamental physics and quantum information science.
