physics

A smiling Kevin and his wife on a forest trail, on a sunny day in t-shirts and hats.

Life After Davis: An Exercise in Nonlinear Navigation

  • by Kevin Lamb

The last time UC Davis saw me was when graduated in the summer of 2018 with a Ph.D. in Mathematics. My dissertation was in low-dimensional topology under Abby Thompson, focusing on Heegaard splittings of knot complements in the 3-sphere (with additional mentorship of Javier Arsuaga in the application of knot theory to molecular biology, particularly the folding of chromosomes in yeast). Only a few months prior to that, I had accepted an offer to join the faculty at University of the Pacific (UOP) in Stockton, CA, as a tenure-track assistant professor of applied mathematics.

Craig Tracy, an older man with glasses sitting outdoors at a café, wearing a dark grey collared shirt, smiling softly.

In Memoriam: Craig Tracy

  • by Bruno Nachtergaele, Marianne Waage

We mourn the passing of our colleague Craig Tracy. 

 

Craig Tracy was an American mathematician known for his contributions to mathematical physics and probability theory. Born in 1945 in England to a British mother and an American father, Craig was raised on a farm in Missouri. After obtaining a B.Sc. in Physics from University of Missouri (1967), he studied at Stony Brook University, where he obtained a Ph.D. in Physics with the thesis Spin-Spin Scale-Functions in the Ising and XY-Models (1973), advised by Barry M. McCoy. 

A photo of a graduation ceremony, down the center aisle. Graduates in motorboards sit on each side, with a large UC Davis logo at the end, and several faculty in robes speaking to the group.

Alumni Updates Fall 2025

Updates on Steven T. Abell, B.S., 1979 — Programming DragginMath for iOS; Richard Bode, A.B., 1970 — A legacy of teaching, from math to sports; Jacob A. Miller, Ph.D., 2016 — Data science and family; Harry David Price, B.S., 1974 — From math to physics; Noppakan Sirikul, B.S., 2023 — Delving statistics and connecting alums.
Chris Jones stands smiling inside a house, with a black and white flowered curtain behind him.

Joining Us: Chris Jones

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.

Nick Nho stands with hand clasped in front of him, a green lightly forested area stretches behind, with leaves on the ground.

Joining Us: Yoon Jae Nho

Yoon Jae "Nick" Nho is a Krener Assistant Professor, mentored by Professor Roger Casals. His research is in symplectic geometry and topology, and he is interested in geometric structures that are related to physics. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in August 2024, under the supervision of Professor Ailsa Keating. 

He is from South Korea, and his hobbies include reading books, watching films, and listening to music.

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