USC.edu

Ken Alexander

Professor of Mathematics
Ken Alexander
Email alexandr@usc.edu Office KAP 424E Office Phone (213) 740-3797

Education

  • Ph.D. , Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • B.S. , University of Washington

  • Tenure Track Appointments

    • Professor, University of Southern California, 01/01/1996 –
    • Associate Professor, University of Southern California, 01/01/1990 – 01/01/1996
    • Assistant Professor, University of Southern California, 01/01/1986 – 01/01/1990
    • National Science Foundation Post-Doctoral Fellow and Acting Assistant Professor, University of Washington, 01/01/1983 – 01/01/1986
    • Member, Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, Berkeley, 01/01/1982 – 01/01/1983

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    Professor Alexander focuses on the interface between probability theory and physics, specifically statistical mechanics. Topics include percolation, pinning models, the Ising model, Potts model, first passage percolation, and other models on a lattice, as well as Gibbs distributions and interfaces.

    His earlier research interests have included statistical topography, subadditive Euclidean functionals on random point sets, empirical processes and probability in Banach spaces. Professor Alexander has authored journal articles and book chapters on these topics.

  • Journal Article

    • Alexander, K. S., Yildirim, G. (2015). Directed polymers in a random environment with a defect line. Electronic Journal of Probability. Vol. 20, pp. 20 pages.
    • Alexander, K. S., Zygouras, N. (2014). Path properties of the random polymer in the delocalized regime. Annals of Applied Probability. Vol. 24, pp. 599-615. Path properties of the disordered pinning model in the delocalized regime
    • Alexander, K. S. (2013). Controlled random walk with a target site. Electronic Communications in Probability. Vol. 18 (43), pp. 6 pages.
    • Alexander, K. S., Zygouras, N. (2013). Subgaussian concentration and rates of convergence in directed polymers. Electronic Journal of Probability. Vol. 18, pp. 28. Subgaussian concentration and rates of convergence in directed polymers
    • Alexander, K. S. (2011). Excursions and local limit theorems for Bessel-like random walks. Electronic Journal of Probability. Vol. 16, pp. 1 – 44. http://arxiv.org/abs/0912.4550
    • Alexander, K. S., Dunlop, F., Miracle-Sole, S. (2011). Layering and wetting transitions for an SOS interface. Journal of Statistical Physics/Springer. Vol. 142, pp. 524 – 576. http://arxiv.org/abs/0908.0321
    • Alexander, K. S. (2011). Subgaussian rates of convergence of means in directed first passage percolation. Annals of Applied Probability. pp. 15. http://arxiv.org/abs/1101.1549
    • Alexander, K. S., Dunlop, F., Miracle-Sole, S. (2010). Layering in the Ising model. Journal of Statistical Physics/Springer. Vol. 141, pp. 217 – 241. arXiv
    • Alexander, K. S., Zygouras, N. (2010). Equality of critical points for polymer depinning transitions with loop exponent one. Annals of Applied Probability/Inst. of Math. Stat.. Vol. 20, pp. 356 – 366. http://arxiv.org/abs/0811.1902
    • Alexander, K. S., Zygouras, N. (2009). Quenched and annealed critical points in polymer depinning transitions. Communications in Mathematical Physics/Springer Verlag. Vol. 291 (3), pp. 659-689. http://arxiv.org/abs/0805.1708
    • Alexander, K. S. (2008). The effect of disorder on polymer depinning transitions. Communications in Mathematical Physics/Springer Verlag. Vol. 279 (1), pp. 117-146. SpringerLink
    • Alexander, K. S. (2007). Ivy on the ceiling: first-order polymer depinning transitions with quenched disorder. Markov Processes and Related Fields/Polymat. Vol. NA, pp. 15. arXiv
    • Alexander, K. S., Sidoravicius, V. (2006). Pinning of polymers and interfaces by random potentials. Annals of Applied Probability. Vol. 16, pp. 636-669.
    • Alexander, K. S. (2005). Colligative properties of solutions: II. Vanishing concentrations. Journal of Statistical Physics. Vol. 119, pp. 509-537.
    • Alexander, K. S. (2005). Colligative properties of solutions: I. Fixed concentrations. Journal of Statistical Physics. Vol. 119, pp. 479-507.
    • Uzun, H. B., Alexander, K. S. (2003). Lower bounds for boundary roughness for droplets in Bernoulli percolation. Probability Theory and Related Fields/Springer. Vol. 127, pp. 62-88.
    • Alexander, K. S. (2003). Mixing properties and exponential decay for lattice systems in finite volumes, 2001. Annals of Probability/Inst. of Math. Stat.. Vol. 32, pp. 441-487.
    • Alexander, K. S., Yoshida, N. (2001). The spectral gap of the 2-D stochastic Ising model with mixed boundary conditions. Journal of Statistical Physics/Springer. Vol. 104, pp. 89-109.

  • Editorships and Editorial Boards

    • Associate Editor, Stochastic Processes and Applications, 03/2006 – 03/2012

    Professional Memberships

    • American Mathematical Society, 1982 –
    • Institute of Mathematical Statistics, 1982 –