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MATHEMATICS from the Chair 2020–2021 • Issue 9 Department of MATHEMATICS Princeton University From the Chair Teaching During a Pandemic I would like to extend my sin- "The first indication we had of the bining live lectures and office hours cerest congratulations to the class coming disruption was at the very with pre-recorded content. Instructor of 2021, as well as those graduate beginning of the spring 2020 semester Dr. Andrew Yarmola taught MAT201: students who will complete their when junior faculty who'd spent the “The lecture itself contained basic final public orals over the next few winter abroad were having difficulty examples, the pre-recorded problems months. While the past two years getting back into the country. were usually more detailed and al- have presented some unusual ob- "Big restrictions kicked in suddenly lowed students to focus on specific stacles, I am proud to see our stu- during midterm week. At that point topics (and review as they saw fit). dents continue to thrive academically everyone was trying to be hopeful All-in-all, my sense is that the students as they rally towards their goals. I am also happy to welcome the that life would return to normal in saw more worked-out problems in live undergraduate classes of 2019 and a few weeks, but it rapidly became Zoom precepts and pre-recorded prob- 2020, as well as those graduate clear that optimism might not be the lems vs. a usual non-virtual year.” students who have completed their best strategy." Dr. Jennifer Johnson, A variety of approaches gave us a PhDs since our last publication, as Senior Lecturer and Associate Direc- better idea of what was and was not new members of our distinguished tor of Undergraduate Studies oversees working. “We saw through student alumni. the department’s large, multi-section feedback that higher production videos Much has changed on a global calculus and linear algebra courses, did not necessarily equate to a better scale in recent times, and the Princ- and as it became clear that the spring learning experience for the students; eton University Math Department term would have to transition to an they much preferred videos that felt holds no exemption. But while we online format she began work with our more ‘real’ to them, for example videos find ourselves in a time of unique dedicated faculty to ensure the spring recorded at a chalkboard” recalls Dr. challenges, it is also proving to be semester was able to carry on and to John Fickenscher, Associate Research a time of exceptional achievements. prepare for the likelihood of a full year Scholar and Lecturer. Last spring, when the university transitioned to online teaching and of virtual teaching. While recorded course materials research in response to the COV- Going Virtual worked well as supplementary mate- ID-19 pandemic, we found ourselves The immediate move online in the rial to the courses, Dr. Johnson saw in largely unfamiliar territory. De- spring of 2020 naturally led to experi- in mid-semester feedback that stu- spite this, I am pleased to report that mentation with teaching styles, com- ...continued on page 11 the math department was able to le- verage academic, administrative, and technological resources to swiftly or- Inside this issue: chestrate the framework for this new Faculty Retirements— Page 4 way of learning, which continued to Faculty Memorials— Page 5–6 improve over the 2020-2021 academ- ic year. In addition to the facilitation Honors and Awards — Pages 6–7 of online classes, the department has Climate and Inclusion — Page 9 also kept its seminar program active Alumni News — Page 9 with an online schedule that matches that of previous years, and continues Special Events — Page 10 ...continued on next page Undergraduate Program — Page 13 Graduate Program — Page 14 From the Chair from the Chair ...continued from previous page tures. This July, Yakov Sinai will also to cultivate academic collaboration as The department also created a new retire to Emeritus status after twenty- we adapt to these unexpected changes. Climate and Inclusion Committee eight years with the department. It is inspiring to witness the unwaver- this year. Chaired by Professor Peter Among his many professional achieve- ing perseverance, enthusiasm, and ca- Sarnak, this committee of faculty, ments, Sinai's extensive work in math- maraderie of our faculty, students, and students, alumni, and staff has begun ematical physics and probability theory staff as they rise to meet the challenges the hard work of addressing important earned him the Abel Prize in 2014. of such an unprecedented chapter in issues to our community. In addition He has also made a significant impact our university’s history. to town hall meetings and directed as a teacher, and has advised over 50 This year, we welcomed one new mentorship programs, a new Horizons students throughout his career. Assistant Professor, four new instruc- Lectures series began this year, where Members of the department have tors, and four new researchers to the speakers are invited to give both a continued to receive accolades and department. We are also pleased to research talk and host a seminar on awards in the field of mathematics. report that seven new instructors and the societal impacts of mathematics To highlight a few of many notable assistant professors have accepted with respect to diversity, inclusion, and achievements, Aleksandr Logunov was offers to join our junior faculty over mentorship. Our inaugural Horizons named both a Packard Fellow and a the next couple of years. During this Lecturer was Trachette Jackson of the Sloan Research Fellow, and received academic year, we were honored to University of Michigan, who hosted a the New Horizons Prize; and Tristan have Chenyang Xu join our depart- compelling panel discussion. Buckmaster received a Clay Research ment as a Professor of Mathematics. Since the last publication of Fine Award (joint with Philip Isett *13 and We welcomed Jacob Rasmussen of Letters, the department lost two stellar former Assistant Professor Vlad Vi- the University of Cambridge, as our mathematicians. Professor Emeritus col). Our alumni have also continued Minerva Distinguished Visitor in the Goro Shimura, internationally re- a tradition of success, with Hillel Fur- spring of 2020, and James Maynard of nowned within the fields of modern stenberg *58 receiving the Abel Prize, the University of Oxford delivered an number theory, arithmetic geometry and Alex Eskin *93 taking home the online series of three Minerva Lec- and automorphic forms, passed away Breakthrough Prize. in May of 2019. We also lost Professor In closing, allow me to express my Department Administration Emeritus John Conway, who passed disappointment that alumni weekend Chair last April. A prolific and imaginative events, and many end-of-year activi- Igor Rodnianski thinker, Conway’s enormous math- ties, are once again canceled as a result ematical contributions will leave a of the pandemic. The department’s Associate Chair lasting mark on current and future Alumni Reception is an important János Kollár generations of mathematicians. tradition, and I count myself among Departmental Representative At the end of the 2019-2020 aca- the many members of the department János Kollár demic year, we celebrated the retire- who look forward to reconnecting with ment of Professor Robert Gunning, alumni during this exciting time of Director of Graduate Studies Mihalis Dafermos who has been a member of the depart- year. Despite this set back, I know that Evita Nestoridi ment since 1956. Among his many many of you will continue to stay in contributions to the university, Robert touch with members of the Fine Hall Senior Advisors served as Chair of the Mathemat- family, and I look forward to welcom- John Pardon ics Department, Chief Marshall for ing you all at future events. Junior Advisor University Convocations, and Dean of Mark McConnell the Faculty. An extraordinary teacher, he also received the President’s Award Placement Officer for Distinguished Teaching in 2003. Ana Menezes He transitioned to Emeritus status last Igor Rodnianski year. Department Chair Page Faculty Appointments Professor Chenyang Xu 2019-20 2020-21 The depart- Academic Year Academic Year ment is Daniel Álvarez Gavela Allen David Boozer pleased to Instructor Instructor Topology announce the Symplectic Geometry appointment Jacob Carruth Alan Chang of Chenyang Postdoctoral Research Associate Instructor Xu as a Profes- Analysis Analysis sor of Math- Duncan Dauvergne ematics. Instructor Evra Shai Instructor A leader Probability Number Theory in Algebraic Michele Fornea Geometry with a focus on birational Postdoctoral Research Associate Tristan Leger geometry, Professor Xu completed his Number Theory Postdoctoral Research Associate Analysis PhD here at Princeton in 2008 under Yusuf Bariş Kartal the supervision of Professor János Kol- Instructor lár. Xu was a CLE Moore Instructor at Symplectic Topology Sarah Peluse Veblen Research Instructor MIT from 2008-2011, after which he Ben Krause Combinatorics, Number Theory took positions as an assistant profes- Postdoctoral Research Associate sor at the University of Utah beforing Analysis Hannah Schwartz Postdoctoral Research Associate joining Peking University as a research Nicholas Marshall fellow and then a professor. Most re- Postdoctoral Research Fellow Topology cently Xu was a professor at MIT. Harmonic Analysis John Sheridan Professor Xu has received nu- Joaquín Moraga Postdoctoral Research Associate merous awards, including the 2016 Instructor Algebraic
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