The geometry/topology group at USC currently has an emphasis on the topology and geometry of low-dimensional manifolds and on contact and symplectic geometry.  This includes Floer homology theories, hyperbolic geometry, mapping class groups of surfaces, quantum invariants and topological quantum field theories. Our research has connections with and is motivated in part by string theory and mathematical physics.

Tenured and tenure-track faculty

  • Aaron Lauda (categorification, representation theory, and low-dimensional topology)
  • Sheel Ganatra (symplectic geometry, homological mirror symmetry)
  • Kyler Siegel (symplectic geometry)
  • Harold Williams ( representation theory, algebraic geometry, symplectic geometry)

Non-tenure-track faculty

Faculty from other groups with interests in geometry and topology

Graduate students (post qualifying)

  • Debtanu Sen (Ganatra)
  • Mark Ebert (Lauda)

Recent graduate students, with placement

    • Jihoon Sohn, Ph.D. 2022 (Bonahon)
    • Dan Douglas, Ph.D. 2020 (Bonahon), Gibbs Assistant Professor, Yale University
    • Dong Zhang, Ph.D. 2020 (Bonahon),
    • Nicolle Sandoval Gonzalez, Ph.D. 2019 (Lauda), Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, UCLA
    • Ilknur Elgimez, Ph.D. 2018 (Lauda), data scientist, Amazon.
    • Giuseppe Martone, Ph.D. 2018 (Bonahon), Postdoctoral Assistant Professor, University of Michigan
    • Can Oguz, Ph.D. 2018 (Lauda), postdoctoral researcher, Galatasaray University, Istanbul, Turkey.
    • Bin Tian, Ph.D. 2018 (Honda), research scientist, Pactera.
    • Bahar Acu, Ph.D. 2017 (Honda), Boas Assistant Professor, Northwestern University.
    • Laffite Lamberto-Egan, Ph.D. 2017 (Lauda) Harvard Westlake Academy.
    • Michael Abrams, Ph.D. 2016 (Lauda), industry.
    • Andrew Williams, Ph.D. 2015 (Honda), Flintridge Academy.
    • Yin Tian, Ph.D. 2014 (Honda), Simons Center for Geometry and Physics.
    • Russell Avdek, PhD 2013 (Honda), data scientist, Zoosk Inc.
    • Yang Huang, Ph.D. 2012 (Honda), member, Max Planck Institute, Germany.
    • Guillaume Dreyer, Ph.D. 2012 (Bonahon), Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Notre Dame.
    • Supap Kirtsaeng, Ph.D. 2010 (Honda), Assistant Professor, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
    • Julien Roger, Ph.D. 2010 (Bonahon), Hill Assistant University, Rutgers University.

Retired faculty

  • Francis Bonahon (hyperbolic geometry, quantum invariants, higher Teichmüller theory)