Department of Mathematics Welcomes Four New Assistant Professors
The Department of Mathematics is thrilled to announce that four new Assistant Professors will join the department in 2026–27: Thomas Brazelton, Karen Butt, Sayan Das, and Gregory Patchell. These hires represent a new phase of growth for the department as we continue our expand our reach and impact. Their work covers the gamut from dynamics to probability, to algebraic topology, algebraic geometry, and operator algebras. We look forward to welcoming all four in person over the coming year.
Thomas Brazelton is an algebraic topologist whose research program connects topology, algebraic geometry, and computation. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard University. His work has appeared in the prestigious general-interest journal Advances in Mathematics. In addition to his research accomplishments, Thomas has received multiple awards recognizing his excellence in teaching.
Karen Butt works in smooth dynamical systems and differential geometry, with research that blends geometric and analytic methods. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and is currently an NSF Postdoctoral Fellow and L.E. Dickson Instructor at the University of Chicago. Her work includes a solo-authored paper in Geometry & Topology, one of the leading journals in the field. She also has wide experience and recognition as a teacher and mentor.
Sayan Das is a probabilist whose research focuses on stochastic partial differential equations. He earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Columbia University in 2023 and is currently an L.E. Dickson Instructor at the University of Chicago. He has published extensively in leading journals, including Annals of Probability and Communications in Mathematical Physics. Sayan is also deeply committed to mentoring and outreach, with experience spanning REU programs and the Association for Women in Mathematics Mentor Network.
Gregory Patchell is an operator algebraist working at the interface of functional analysis, quantum theory, and geometric group theory. He received his Ph.D. from the University of California, San Diego and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford. His work has appeared in top journals such as Inventiones Mathematicae. Gregory’s research builds connections with mathematical physics and helps lay the groundwork for future initiatives in quantum information theory; he has also been recognized with a teaching award for excellence at UC San Diego.
Welcome, Tom, Karen, Sayan, and Greg!