Letter from the Chair, Spring 2026
In just a few days I will hand the reins of the Department of Mathematics to the experienced hands of my colleague Joel Hass. Joel has served as department chair for 4 years (2010-2014). Through a number of leadership functions on campus he also acquired deep knowledge of all aspects of the university organization. I am very grateful he agreed to step back into the department chair role for 2026-27.
Looking back on the past three years I am struck by how full and fast moving these years have been. To summarize them in full is not possible nor desired, but here a few highlights.
First, an overview in numbers. Since Fall 2023, over 500 majors graduated in the department; 56 students received their Ph.D. in Math or Applied Math. Since 2023, researchers in the department secured over $10M in grants and fellowships. Dozens of awards and honors are listed in the department’s news listing including distinguished fellowships to 7 faculty, 7 postdocs, and over 25 Ph.D. students. These are clear signs of a thriving department. Congratulations!
To make this all happen, the support from our capable staff has been essential. In addition to their visible roles, a lot more is happening behind the scenes everyday such as budget planning and accounting, building upkeep, 1001 administrative tasks needed to help our hundreds of employees with their careers and life events both joyous and sad. I am deeply grateful for their tireless work on behalf of all of us.
We had the good fortune to recruit three new assistant professors. Together with the annual arrival of new postdocs and a fresh class of students, they guarantee the department keeps young and dynamic.
There also were departures. Professors Temple, Hunter, Thompson, and Puckett retired to emeriti status during my term. Each had a long and distinguished career at UC Davis. Three faculty colleagues passed away: professors Wets, Tracy, and Kapovich. All three were highly regarded leaders in their field and had a tremendous impact on mathematics in Davis. The best way to honor their memory is to strive for excellence in our work every day.
The math community does not hesitate to respond to new circumstances and opportunities. Our 'precalculus' team is working hard to better serve students who need and want to learn math but are not ready to take on one of our calculus sequences. Our efforts are financially supported by the Provost’s START initiative, for which I am very grateful. In another direction, as AI invades our world, society has a range of responses. A group of math faculty is setting out to find how AI can help us create, uncover, and apply mathematical truth and invite other scholars to join them in a graduate class on AI in math. Thanks for your innovative spirit.
Challenges tend to arrive uninvited and we must act to minimize or mitigate their potential for negative impacts. The strains on the department budget generally and the shortfall in graduate student support is one of those. Together, we developed a proactive response to safeguard our teaching and research missions and our prospering graduate programs. I thank all of you who contributed.
Lastly, I thank my wife, Marijke, who always supports me in the professional choices I make regardless of the potential fallout for our personal lives. An impactful and caring educator herself, she shares my joy in seeing the next generation succeed. That outlook and her partnership is what matters most to me.
I wish Joel a successful and interesting year as chair. I know it will not be boring. Keeping in mind the ancient curse, I wish 2026-27 will not become too interesting. :)
Goodbye for now. Enjoy the calm of summer and look forward to the next edition of this newsletter in Fall.
-Bruno