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I got my Bachelors of Science in Mathematics at UC Davis in 1987. I worked as an actuary on defined benefit pension plans for about 5 years, then I worked at a management consulting firm in Menlo Park called Applied Decision Analysis (ADA) for about 5 years. At ADA we did market research, market modeling, market analysis, decision analysis, and risk analysis. I started doing pricing strategy for tech companies in Silicon Valley in 1997 and I'm still at it.

Roger J-B Wets was a Distinguished Research Professor of Mathematics at UC Davis, who passed away in April 2025. He was well regarded as an inspiring mathematician and described by his students as an amazing mentor. He guided nineteen students to their Ph.D. and developed a Mathematical Finance course for our Department. Collaborators talk of both his brilliance at research, but also his kindness, good humor, and thoughtful personality.  

I recently completed my Ph.D. in Mathematics at Georgia Tech, where I was advised by Jen Hom. My research focuses on problems in low-dimensional topology, primarily from the perspective of knot Floer homology and bordered Heegaard Floer homology. At UC Davis, I look forward to working with Melissa Zhang and broadening my approach by exploring new tools for studying knots and links in 3- and 4-manifolds.

I joined the UC Davis Department of Mathematics in July 2025 as an Assistant Professor. My research focuses on fluid dynamics and partial differential equations, combining both analysis and computational approaches. Previously, I was a Visiting Assistant Professor at the University of California Berkeley. I received my Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from the University of California Santa Cruz in 2023.

Sneha Chaubey is visiting the Department of Mathematics in the Fall quarter of 2025 as a Visiting Associate Professor. She is an Associate Professor of Mathematics at IIIT-Delhi, India. Her research interests lie in number theory and its interactions with geometry and dynamics. She is especially interested in analytic number theory, the distribution of sequences and their spacing statistics, using level spacing statistics and correlation measures, zeros of L-functions, and exponential sums. 

Maria received her Ph.D. in 2012 from Palacky University in the Czech Republic, but most of her study time she spent at Princeton University, where she worked under the supervision of David Gabai. Afterwards, she was an instructor at Caltech and in 2016 she joined UC Davis, first as a KAP and then continued as a lecturer. She is primarily interested in Geometry and Topology. She had collaborated with Joel Hass on imaging problems. After a break for sabbatical and maternal leaves, she is excited to be back in the department and teaching again.

My name is Jialin Wang. I recently completed my Ph.D. in Mathematics at UC Riverside under the supervision of Stefano Vidussi, and I will be joining the Department as a Lecturer next quarter. My research focuses on higher incoherence groups. Outside of work, I enjoy going to the gym, spending time outdoors, and staying active through different kinds of exercise. I am also a fan of video games and share my home with three adorable cats.

Imagine a boulder in a stream. As the water hits the boulder, it splits around the object. Once it’s passed around, the two flowing streams crash together, creating turbulent conditions that, if visible, would manifest as chaotic whorls and vortexes. This isn’t just true of water. It’s true of all fluids, including air. 

The mathematical equations underlying fluid motion — known as the Navier-Stokes equations — are among the most notoriously challenging partial differential equations because in principle they encode complex behaviors similar to the one you just imagined.

Your DNA contains the genetic blueprint necessary to not just build your body but to build the proteins and molecules that ensure your body’s functionality. DNA encodes RNA, RNA encodes proteins and voila, your body functions. 

But the biological reality of this process is much more complex. The shapes, twists and entanglements of your DNA and RNA— their topology — influence their functionality and your health. Damage to DNA, like radiation exposure leading to double-strand breaks, can cause mutations that develop into diseases like cancer.

I am a Mexican mathematician with a strong interest in discrete geometry, convexity, graph theory, matroids, and combinatorial problems in general. I earned my master’s degree at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and completed a joint Ph.D. at UNAM and the Université de Montpellier. My research focuses on bodies of constant width, Reuleaux polytopes, and the development of new approaches in these areas of mathematics.

Chris studies theoretical computer science, with a focus on convex optimization, on random matrices, and on connections between theoretical computer science, pure mathematics, and statistical physics (e.g. sphere packing, spin glasses). Prior to coming to Davis, he was a postdoc at Bocconi University in Milan, and he received his Ph.D. in 2022 from the University of Chicago. Chris also likes designing crossword puzzles and puzzle hunts. On his days off, he likes to enjoy nature and swim in alpine lakes.