All posts by erman

People, Research

Younsi wins international research prize

Math department chair and faculty member, Malik Younsi, was recently awarded the 2026 Frontiers of Science Award from the International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS) for his collaborative paper “Rigidity theorems for circle domains” joint with Dimitrios Ntalampekos.

The criteria for the award is: “For the 2026 selection, scientific works in both basic and applied research are chosen in 40 areas of the three basic science fields (mathematics, theoretical physics, and theoretical computer and information sciences) represented at the ICBS. A scientific achievement must meet the following three requirements to be considered: (1) it must have been published in the last 10 years; (2) it must be of highest scientific value and originality and have made an important impact on its area; (3) it must have been evaluated and accepted by scholars in its area. The goal of this award is to encourage young scholars to look to the frontiers of basic science, set goals to obtain breakthrough results as early as possible, and contribute wisdom and energy to humankind’s study of the mysteries of the natural world.“

You can find a UH news summary here.

Graduate posts

Graduate Research Communities in the Math Department

As part of a NSF Innovations in Graduate Education grant,  math faculty member Dr. Elizabeth Gross is currently running a “designed research community” for 7 PhD students.  The goal of this project is to help advance the careers of the PhD students by expanding their research networks, which can be a particular challenge for students in geographically isolated locations (like Hawaiʻi).  Four of the students come from our department:  Jose Esparza-Lozano, Kawika O’Connor, Udani Ranasinghe, and Christin Sum.  Three of the students are visiting:  Aviva Englander (University of Wisconsin), Devon Olds (North Carolina State University), and Bryan Currie (New Jersey Institute of Technology).  The seven students are collaborating on research, under Gross’s direction, on topics related to algebraic statistics and evolutionary biology. The students have been supported by Gross, as well as by Temporary Assistant Professor Max Hill and visiting researcher, Dr. Colby Long (Wooster College). 

As part of the program, the students are also engaged in professional development activities organized by faculty member and co-PI Dr. Daniel Erman, and co-hosted by many other math department faculty.  The program has also integrated other unique aspects of UH Mānoa into the program. The program included a visit to the Hawai`i Institute of Marine Biology for a Math-Bio Symposium, co-organized by Gross and Dr. Lisa McManus (HIMB), where graduate students and postdocs shared their research in an interdisciplinary setting, and in the coming weeks, will include a discussion lead by Stacey Potes (College of Education) on “Designing Culturally Responsive, Place-Based Mathematics Curricula in Hawaiʻi.”

Undergrad posts

Math Jam Fall 2025

Math Jam is a huge review session where LAs, TAs and instructors come together to help students prepare before finals week.

To register to Math Jam for Fall 2025, click here.

The Fall 2025 version of Math Jam will be held on Friday, December 12 from 9am to 2pm on the 3rd and 4th floors of Keller.  All students from Math 134, 140X, 215, 241, 242 and 252A are invited to this event.

For more information, you may contact mathjam@math.hawaii.edu

We are looking forward to see you there!

Math 134, Math 140, Math 241, Math 242, Math 251A, Math 252A

Review before your math final

When: Friday, December 12, from 9am to 2pm.

Where: Keller Hall (3rd and 4th floor)

Ask your instructor for more information

Donuts, coffee, math? RSVP here.

Map of rooms

UH News report

People, Research

Erman grant on mathematics inspired by mirror symmetry

UH News has written an article by Daniel Erman’s collaborative NSF Focused Research Group grant on “Multigraded Commutative
Algebra, Toric Varieties, and Homological Mirror Symmetry.” The grant is for $1.5M across six different institutions: UH Mānoa, Auburn University, University of Minnesota, University of South Carolina, University of Southern California, and University of Oregon.

While the grant is primarily focused on collaborative research among the group of 7 PI’s, it will also support opportunities for early-career researchers and students, including workshops, graduate student support, and a postdoctoral fellow at UH Mānoa from 2025-2028.

You can read more about this project through the UH News Article.