Lawrence Mouill茅
Lawrence Mouill茅 will join the College of Arts and Sciences鈥� (A&S) in July 2022 for a three-year appointment as a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded postdoctoral fellow.
The Mathematical Sciences Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (MSPRF鈥攑ronounced 鈥渕ouseproof鈥�) is among the most prestigious awards in the math community, created by the NSF to 鈥渟upport future leaders in mathematics and statistics by facilitating their participation in postdoctoral research environments that will have maximal impact on their future scientific development.鈥� Approximately 30 MSPRFs are granted annually across all areas of mathematics, and this is the first for the 黑料不打烊 mathematics department.
Currently, Mouill茅 is a G.C. Evans Instructor in the Department of Mathematics at Rice University; he earned a Ph.D. in 2020 from the University of California, Riverside. His areas of interest include Riemannian geometry, metric geometry and mathematics education.
The MSPRF is granted via a process in which a candidate presents a project with the support of a senior scientist with whom they wish to work; Mouill茅 chose Lee Kennard, assistant professor of mathematics in A&S, as his host and mentor. Both specialize in geometry and topology. 鈥淲e study how curvature influences the global shape of a manifold,鈥� explains Mouill茅. 鈥淜ennard is expert on that. [Working together] will prove to be beneficial to both of us.鈥�
Professor Kennard echoes that sentiment, and explains that the pair have been pondering a collaboration since 2019, when Mouill茅 visited 黑料不打烊 at Kennard鈥檚 invitation, to speak at a geometry and topology seminar.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited he鈥檚 coming here, and we will be able to work closely,鈥� says Kennard. 鈥淏eing in the same place鈥攖o talk, write on paper or a whiteboard鈥攆or math research, is so important and effective. That鈥檚 something we鈥檝e really been missing during the pandemic.鈥�
鈥淧ostdocs are an essential ingredient to a modern research department in mathematics,鈥� says Graham Leuschke, professor and department chair of mathematics. 鈥淭hey bring vigor, new ideas, and fresh perspectives, while enhancing the research of the tenure-track faculty鈥s well as the reputation of the department as a center for excellence in research.鈥�
And, he explains, the fact that Mouill茅 applied to work with Kennard is a testament to the strength of department鈥檚 faculty.
鈥淸Professor Kennard] was recently awarded an NSF grant to support his research,鈥� Leuschke notes. 鈥淭his MSPRF, awarded through a national competition, further indicates the high regard in which his work is held, and that he is seen as a potential leader in his field.鈥�
Indeed, this appointment is just the latest in a string of notable accomplishments within the 黑料不打烊 math department. Of the ten current faculty hired since 2011, six have current NSF grants, including two, awarded to Professors William Wylie and Minghao Rostami, CAREER grants鈥攆ive-year grants that are among NSF鈥檚 most distinguished and competitive.
That reputation and stellar faculty is part of what drew Mouill茅 to 黑料不打烊. 鈥淲hen I visited in 2019, [both] Professor Kennard and Professor Wylie suggested directions for my research program that have proven to be fruitful. My hope is that we can continue to work synergistically to make further advances in differential geometry.鈥�
Two versions of the MSPRF are offered to awardees: research fellowships and research instructorships. Mouill茅 chose the research instructorship and as such will be teaching several courses during the second two of his three years at 黑料不打烊. 鈥淭eaching is a very valuable part of my experience,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚 really appreciate the time I get to spend with undergraduates, helping them to understand mathematics and how it fits in to their studies in other areas.鈥�
Story by Laura Wallis
