News and Notes

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2026
The faculty and staff of the UB Department of Mathematics congratulates our graduates in the Class of 2026.

  • Alia Spaker named CAS Outstanding Senior 2026
    5/1/26
    The Department of Mathematics is pleased to announce that Alia Spaker has been named Outstanding Senior 2026 by UB College of Arts and Sciences. Spaker, of Honeoye Falls, NY, graduates summa cum laude with a bachelor of science in mathematics. She is a Summer Math Scholar and recipient of the Harriet Montague Award. Spaker completed an honors thesis in analytic number theory under the supervision of Professor Jakob Streipel. She served as a teaching assistant for the Department of Mathematics and participated in the Directed Reading Program for three semesters. In the fall, Spaker will pursue a doctorate in pure mathematics at the University of Connecticut. All are invited to attend the event honoring the Outstanding Seniors on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 3 p.m. in Slee Hall. RSVP CAS

Mathematics Faculty News and Notes

Science Daily Mathematics News: Your source for the latest research news
  • Adam Sikora Promotes Quantum Topology Worldwide
    4/30/26
    Professor Adam Sikora is helping advance and popularize the growing field of quantum topology, which connects topology and geometry with quantum physics through surprising cross-fertilization of ideas. Sikora co-organized three international conferences and a summer school devoted to this area. The first three NSF-supported events were held at Vietnam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics and at the Centre International de Rencontres Mathématiques (CIRM) in Marseille, France, in summer 2025. Another meeting, exploring connections with Number Theory, will take place at the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach in Germany.
  • Biondini co-authors "Mach Reflection and Expansion of Two-Dimensional Dispersive Shock Waves"
    8/14/25
    New research by University at Buffalo and University of Colorado Boulder mathematicians has uncovered and characterized novel two-dimensional wave patterns — waves that propagate along two directions — whether they are in water or other settings like plasmas and condensed matter. The new study, published Aug. 5 in Physical Review Letters, uses numerical simulations to obtain solutions in two dimensions, describing what gives rise to patterns like the matrix tide.
  • "Switch-like gene expression modulates disease" study co-authored by UB faculty and students in Mathematics and Biological Sciences
    4/30/26
    Published by Nature Communications, the study "Switch-like gene expression modulates disease" is the first systematic analysis of switch-like genes across multiple tissues. The study is co-authored by UB faculty and students in Mathematics and Biological Sciences.

Mathematics Student News and Notes

  • Alexander Bivolcic, UB Math Graduate Student, Wins Excellence in Teaching Award
    5/2/25
    The Department of Mathematics is pleased to announce that Alexander Bivolcic has been awarded the University at Buffalo's 2025 Excellence in Teaching Award for Graduate Student Teaching Assistants.
  • Danielle Tear, Outstanding Senior 2025, Summa Cum Laude, Mathematics and Music
    5/20/25
    The Department of Mathematics is pleased to announce that Danielle Tear has been named Outstanding Senior 2025 by UB College of Arts. She graduates summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts in mathematics as a part of the UB Teach mathematics combined degree program. Tear is a UB Presidential Scholar and recipient of the Harry Merrill Geham Scholarship. She is a teaching assistant for the Department of Mathematics and played the cello in the UB Symphony Orchestra. In the fall, Tear will begin her student teaching residency in pursuit of a master's degree in mathematics education with a secondary certification in computer science. 
  • Graduate students and staff gather for group photo
    5/15/25
    Recently, some of our graduate students took a moment to have a group photo with staff. The Department of Mathematics is proud of our graduate students for their dedication and hard work. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
  • Jack Mills wins the 2024 Summer Math Scholarship
    5/2/25
    The UB Department of Mathematics is pleased to congratulate the winner of the 2024 Summer Math Scholarship, Jack Mills. The award includes a stipend in the range of $4,000. Mills, together with faculty mentor Dr. Johanna Mangahas,  formulated an undergraduate research project aimed at understanding Mesa paths in the hyperbolic plane. 
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