Department of Mathematics

Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics

Sloan Research Fellowships

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Assistant Professors Maya Fishbach (L) and Daniel Litt (supplied images)

Maya Fishbach and Daniel Litt from the Faculty of Arts & Science have been awarded prestigious 2024 Sloan Research Fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

The fellowships honour exceptional early-career Canadian and U.S. researchers whose creativity, innovation and research accomplishments make them stand out as the next generation of scientific leaders.

Fishbach, an assistant professor with the Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics, is carrying out gravitational wave research that is helping revolutionize our understanding of how and where black holes are made and how big the universe is.

Her foundational work on bridging the fields of gravitational physics and astrophysics is helping shape the field of multi-messenger astronomy — a new realm of research that draws on observations of both gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation.

“It’s a huge honour to have my research recognized by the Sloan Foundation — especially because so many of my role models are past Sloan fellows, including several UUֱ�� physicists and astronomers,” says Fishbach. “I am super grateful for the support of all of my mentors, especially Professor Juna Kollmeier for always believing in me and University Professor Dick Bond for nominating me for this fellowship. I am also thankful to all the wonderful students, post-docs and colleagues around the world without whom my research wouldn’t be anywhere near as productive or fun.”

Litt is an assistant professor with the department of mathematics whose current research focuses on using algebraic-geometric and arithmetic tools to answer classical questions in geometry, topology, number theory and dynamics.

He is emerging as a world leader in using modern algebraic geometry to prove classical results in algebraic geometry.

“I'm honoured to receive the Sloan Research Fellowship, and I deeply appreciate the Sloan Foundation's recognition of my work on the arithmetic and topology of algebraic varieties,” says Litt. “I am excited to continue working towards a deeper understanding of the interrelationships between number theory, low-dimensional topology and algebraic geometry.

“My hope is that this continued work will help us discern answers to some of the fundamental questions in mathematics that lie in the interplay between these areas.”

Read the complete list of 2024 Sloan Research Fellows

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Shubhangi Saraf receives 2022–23 McLean Award

rahul.kalvapalle — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 21:10:21 +0000

Shubhangi Saraf receives 2022–23 McLean Award

rahul.kalvapalle Thu, 11/09/2023 - 16:10

Department of Computer Science

Connaught Fund

McLean Award

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Shubhangi Saraf (photo by Matt Hintsa)

Shubhangi Saraf, an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s departments of computer science and mathematics, is the 2022-23 recipient of the McLean Award. 

The McLean Award is part of the UUֱ��’s Connaught Fund and is given in support of basic research in physics, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, engineering sciences or statistical sciences. It is awarded to an outstanding researcher early in their career to assist in attracting and supporting graduate students and post-doctoral fellows as part of their research team. 

“I feel deeply honoured and also incredibly grateful for the award and for the support from my colleagues,” Saraf says.  “The McLean Award will greatly help in enabling and advancing the growth of junior researchers in my field.” 

A global research leader in computational complexity theory and coding theory, Saraf’s work brings together diverse areas of mathematics, allowing her to produce cutting-edge research that addresses some of the most challenging and fundamental questions in theoretical computer science. 

“Through her rigorous research and outstanding record of achievement, Shubhangi Saraf is advancing our understanding of open questions in computer science and mathematics, such as the power and limitations of efficient computation,” says Leah Cowen, UUֱ��’s vice-president, research and innovation, and strategic initiatives. “The insights she harnesses from both computing and mathematics demonstrate the power and impact of interdisciplinary research.”

“The UUֱ�� congratulates her on this important recognition of her work.”

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Mark Braverman recognized with Abacus Medal

lanthierj — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 19:04:24 +0000

Mark Braverman recognized with Abacus Medal

lanthierj Thu, 07/07/2022 - 15:04

Alumni

Abacus Medal

Department of Computer Science

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Mark Braverman (photo by Lance Murphey)

Mark Braverman, an alumnus and former faculty member of the UUֱ��'s department of computer science and department of mathematics, has been awarded the 2022 Abacus Medal by the International Mathematical Union (IMU).

The medal is awarded to mathematicians under 40 for “outstanding contributions in Mathematical Aspects of Information Science.”

The IMU recognized Braverman “for his path-breaking research developing the theory of information complexity,” according to the award citation. “His work has led to direct-sum theorems giving lower bounds on amortized communication, ingenious protocol compression methods, and new interactive communication protocols resilient to noise,” the IMU wrote.

Braverman earned his master's degree and PhD from UUֱ��; during his doctoral studies he was advised by University Professor Emeritus Stephen Cook. He returned to UUֱ�� as an assistant professor jointly appointed in the departments of mathematics and of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science during the 2010–2011 academic year. He is a professor in the department of computer science at Princeton University.

“I am very grateful for the generous mentorship I've received at the UUֱ��, from my PhD adviser Professor Stephen Cook, from Professor Michael Yampolsky, and others,” Braverman said. “I have learned much, not just about specific technical matters, but more broadly about being a better scientist, colleague and mentor.”

Jacob Tsimerman receives prestigious 2022 New Horizons Prize

lanthierj — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 20:52:37 +0000

Jacob Tsimerman receives prestigious 2022 New Horizons Prize

lanthierj Fri, 10/29/2021 - 16:52

Alumni

New Horizons Prize

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Photo courtesy Centre de Recherche Mathématique

Jacob Tsimerman, an associate professor in the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of mathematics, has been awarded a 2022 New Horizons Prize in Mathematics from the Breakthrough Prize Foundation.

“It feels great to receive this recognition,” says Tsimerman. “But there are a lot of people involved in the work I do – it's a big community – so it feels good to be able to share the honour with my colleagues.”

Tsimerman’s research focuses primarily on analytic number theory and arithmetic geometry. One of his most notable research accomplishments is his contribution to a proof for a longstanding mathematical hypothesis called the André-Oort conjecture.

“The New Horizons Prize is one of the top international awards for rising young stars in mathematics,” says Robert Jerrard, chair of the department of mathematics. “It confirms Jacob's stature as one of the foremost number theorists of his generation. It honours his breakthrough research spanning disparate areas – number theory, algebraic geometry and model theory – leading to a proof of the celebrated André-Oort Conjecture.”

The award is the latest in a series of honours for Tsimerman, who was the youngest faculty member in the department when he joined the UUֱ�� as an assistant professor in 2014. In 2015, he was the first Canadian to win the prestigious Sastra Ramanujan Prize. In 2017, he received the André Aisenstadt Prize from the Centre de recherche mathématiques at the University of Montréal. And in 2019, the Canadian Mathematical Society awarded Tsimerman the Coxeter-James Prize.

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UUֱ�� professors elected to the U.K.'s Royal Society

lanthierj — Fri, 07 May 2021 20:15:02 +0000

UUֱ�� professors elected to the U.K.'s Royal Society

lanthierj Fri, 05/07/2021 - 16:15

Department of Biochemistry

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Royal Society U.K.

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(Photo of Forman-Kay courtesy of Forman-Kay; Quastel by Diana Tyszko)

Two UUֱ�� professors have been elected Fellows of the Royal Society – the United Kingdom’s national academy of sciences.

Professor Julie Forman-Kay of the department of biochemistry in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Professor Jeremy Quastel of the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science are among the 60 scientists named this year as Fellows, Foreign Members or Honorary Fellows.

“The global pandemic has demonstrated the continuing importance of scientific thinking and collaboration across borders,” Sir Adam Smith, president of the society, said in a statement. “Each Fellow and Foreign Member bring their area of scientific expertise to the Royal Society and when combined, this expertise supports the use of science for the benefit of humanity.”

Forman-Kay and Quastel are deeply collaborative leaders who have made profound impact with their research, said Professor Leah Cowen, associate vice-president, research.

“Julie Forman-Kay’s recent studies elucidating the roles of disordered regions in controlling cellular organization and chemical reactions have led to important insights into normal biological regulation and how mutations in these regions lead to cancer and neurological disorders,” Cowen said. “And Jeremy Quastel is making world-leading contributions to probability theory, stochastic processes and partial differential equations.

“The university congratulates them on this important recognition of their accomplishments.”

Jeremy Quastel elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

lanthierj — Fri, 07 May 2021 18:54:46 +0000

Jeremy Quastel elected a Fellow of the Royal Society

lanthierj Fri, 05/07/2021 - 14:54

Royal Society U.K.

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(Photo by Diana Tyszko)

For his seminal contributions to both probability theory and mathematical physics, the UUֱ��'s Jeremy Quastel has been elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

“It is wonderful to have this kind of international recognition,” says Quastel, a professor and chair of the Faculty of Arts & Science’s department of mathematics. “This is a very active field in probability and statistical physics where UUֱ�� is leading the world.”

The distinction recognizes Quastel’s research into the extent to which macroscopic and phenomenological laws of physics can be derived rigorously from fundamental microscopic laws. In particular, Quastel discovered – with former UUֱ�� postdoctoral fellows Daniel Remenik and Konstantin Matetski – the strong coupling fixed point of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class describing the large-scale fluctuations of many interface growth models.

“We are extremely proud that Professor Quastel has received this richly deserved honour,” says Melanie Woodin, dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. “His work is a wonderful example of the depth of research being conducted in the Faculty.”

Quastel was also a Sloan Fellow and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He received his PhD from the Courant Institute of Mathematical Science, NYU, after which he was a postdoctoral fellow at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley, then a faculty member at University of California, Davis. He joined UUֱ�� in 1998.

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Toni Pitassi recognized with EATCS Distinguished Achievement Award

lanthierj — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 17:56:26 +0000

Toni Pitassi recognized with EATCS Distinguished Achievement Award

lanthierj Fri, 04/23/2021 - 13:56

Department of Computer Science

Women in STEM

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The European Association for Theoretical Computer Science has recognized Professor Toni Pitassi of the department of computer science in the Faculty of Arts & Science with the 2021 EATCS Distinguished Achievements Award.

The annual award honours a scientist who has made “extensive and wide-ranging contributions” to theoretical computer science over the course of their career.

Pitassi, who is also appointed to the department of mathematics, has been recognized “for her fundamental and wide-ranging contributions to computational complexity, which includes proving long-standing open problems, introducing new fundamental models, developing novel techniques and establishing new connections between different areas.”

The award citation highlights two notable contributions that she has made to the field:

Pitassi developed lifting theorems, cited as "powerful and flexible techniques” that resolved many open problems in theoretical computer science and “completely transformed our state of knowledge regarding two fundamental computational models, query algorithms (decision trees) and communication complexity.”

She was also recognized for the impact she has had in proof complexity. Pitassi introduced novel proof systems, developed new techniques for “virtually all proof systems,” and "found novel connections of proof complexity, computational learning theory, communication complexity, circuit complexity, LP hierarchies, graph theory and more.”

In summary, the award committee wrote: “Toni Pitassi’s contributions have transformed the field of computational complexity and neighbouring areas of theoretical computer science, and will continue to have a lasting impact. Furthermore, she is an outstanding mentor, great teacher and a dedicated TCS community member.”

Department of Computer Science

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Alfonso Gracia-Saz receives Excellence in Teaching Award from Canadian Mathematical Society

lanthierj — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 16:59:48 +0000

Alfonso Gracia-Saz receives Excellence in Teaching Award from Canadian Mathematical Society

Teaching

lanthierj Fri, 04/23/2021 - 12:59

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Alfonso Gracia-Saz of the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science has received the 2021 Canadian Mathematical Society Excellence in Teaching Award.

The award recognizes sustained and distinguished contributions in mathematics education at the undergraduate level at a Canadian institution.

An associate professor, teaching stream, Gracia-Saz was praised for his inspiring lectures and videos, particularly in the case of his challenging Calculus with Proofs course.

“Alfonso has very high standards and expects a strong commitment on the part of his students, but he is very generous with his time and makes it abundantly clear that he’s more than willing to offer help to anybody who needs it,” said Professor Jeremy Quastel, chair of the department. “The upshot has been staggeringly good course evaluations for Alfonso personally, but also very good results for the Calculus with Proofs course overall.”

An instructor and academic coordinator of the Canada/USA Mathcamp for 13 years, Gracia-Saz maintains a calculus YouTube channel with 200 videos and more than three million views. He’s also active in mathematics outreach through competitions, math camps, science fairs and undergraduate research.

Colleague Bernardo Galvao-Sousa said Gracia-Saz “belongs to this rare breed of born teachers that possess not only the knowledge and creativity, but also the warm and dynamic personality that allows him to teach students in such a natural way that the barrier between teacher and student ceases to exist.”

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Ila Varma awarded Sloan Research Fellowship

lanthierj — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 19:29:57 +0000

Ila Varma awarded Sloan Research Fellowship

lanthierj Wed, 02/12/2020 - 14:29

Sloan Research Fellowship

Women in STEM

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(photo by Diana Tyszko)

Ila Varma, an assistant professor with the department of mathematics in the Faculty of Arts & Science has been awarded a prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship for 2020.

Sloan Research Fellowships recognize extraordinary early career researchers at U.S. and Canadian institutions who set high standards for achievement, creativity and leadership. Varma will receive USD $75,000 over a two-year period to support her research into the statistical properties of abstract objects to order better understand the fundamental properties of counting numbers – also known as integers.

“While the field of arithmetic statistics is a fairly new area of number theory, it is rooted in the study of classical open questions dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries,” says Varma. “I thank the Sloan Foundation for recognizing the potential in furthering this research on these fundamental mysteries in arithmetic.”

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Three UUֱ�� researchers recognized with Sloan Research Fellowships

lanthierj — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 14:54:23 +0000

Three UUֱ�� researchers recognized with Sloan Research Fellowships

lanthierj Wed, 02/12/2020 - 09:54

Sloan Research Fellowships

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology