Welcome to the Department of Mathematics
In its more than 100-year history, the Department of Mathematics has solidified its standing as a major player in the nationwide arena of mathematical research and academic scholarship. We are currently searching for our Department Chair. More information on the Chair position can be found here. Currently, the department boasts more than 250 undergraduate majors, 40 graduate students, and more than 50 faculty, of which about one third are postdocs. Our vibrant and close-knit community of a diverse group of scholars and students creates a stimulating and exciting atmosphere for research and study. We excel in several areas of pure and applied mathematics, including approximation theory, biomathematics, combinatorics & graph theory, geometry & topology, group theory, noncommutative geometry & operator algebras, number theory, partial differential equations, and universal algebra.
Department News
Alumni Reunion
Oct. 11, 2022—The Department was pleased to welcome alumni back to Vanderbilt during Reunion Weekend, October 6th to 9th, 2022. Some alumni preferred to just wander around the math building, but the department also held a reception on Friday afternoon and several faculty members had a lively discussion with some alumni about their careers after Vanderbilt and...
2022 Award Winners Honored at Annual Ceremony
May. 17, 2022—Six students and one postdoc were recognized for outstanding achievements at the recent Department of Mathematics annual awards ceremony. The 2022 B.F. Bryant Prize for Excellence in Teaching was shared by graduate students Colin Bloomfield, Ishan, and Samuel Rizzo. The award recognizes graduate teaching assistants who have demonstrated concern for and accomplishments in teaching, qualities...
Sifan Yu receives Summer Research Award
May. 16, 2022—Sifan Yu was the recipient of a Summer Research Award (SRA). The College of Arts and Science Summer Research Award program is designed to help graduate students with outstanding potential to accelerate progress on their research. SRAs provide funds for research expenses related to the doctoral thesis, other advanced research projects, or scholarly activities that...
Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Graduate School
May. 13, 2022—Srivatsav Kunnawalkam Elayavalli, from Chennai, India, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the Graduate School. Founder’s Medal for First Honors is awarded for outstanding achievement in the graduating class. Cornelius Vanderbilt’s gifts to the university included endowment of this award, first given in 1877. Sri is graduating with a doctor of philosophy in mathematics. Elayavalli...