USC.edu

Aaron Lauda

Professor of Mathematics and Physics and Astronomy
Aaron Lauda
Email lauda@usc.edu Office KAP 464D Office Phone (213) 740-8170

Research & Practice Areas

Categorification, representation theory, low-dimensional topology, and topological quantum computation

Center, Institute & Lab Affiliations

  • Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology, Member

Biography

Aaron Lauda is a Professor of Mathematics at the University of Southern California, studying representation theory, low-dimensional topology, and applications in mathematics and theoretical physics.  He holds a joint appointment in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and is a member of the USC Center for Quantum Information Science and Technology. He completed his Ph.D. in pure mathematics in 2006 at Cambridge University, following a master’s degree in Physics from UC Riverside.   He spent five years as a Ritt Assistant Professor at Columbia University before joining USC in 2011.  Lauda is a recipient of the Sloan Research Fellowship, an NSF CAREER award, and is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society and the Simons Foundation.  From 2017-2020 he directed an NSF  Focused Research Grant supporting a collaboration involving a team from USC, UCLA, Caltech, and Columbia.  In 2021 he was awarded a Doctorate of Science D.Sci from Cambridge University.  Currently he is directing the Simons Collaboration in Mathematical and Physical Sciences New Structures in Low-Dimensional Topology.  

Education

  • Sc.D. Mathematics, Cambridge University, 2021
  • Ph.D. Pure Mathematics, Cambridge University, 2006
  • M.S. Physics, University of California, Riverside, 2003
  • B.S. Pure Mathematics, University of California, Riverside, 2002

  • Tenure Track Appointments

    • Professor of Mathematics and Physics & Astronomy, University of Southern California, 11/15/2021 –
    • Professor of Mathematics, University of Southern California, 04/2014 –
    • Associate Professor of Mathematics, University of Southern California, 11/2013 – 04/2014
    • Assistant Professor of Mathematics, University of Southern California, 07/2011 – 11/2013

    Research, Teaching, Practice, and Clinical Appointments

    • Jerrold E. Marsden Postdoctoral Fellow, Fields institute, Toronto, Canada, Spring 2007
    • Ritt Assistant Professor, Columbia University, 2006-2011
    • Doctor of Science (ScD), University of Cambridge, 2021
    • Fellow (or Equivalent) of National Society in Discipline, Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, 2019-2020
    • NSF CAREER award, 2013-2019
    • Mathematics and Physical Sciences-Simons Fellows in Mathematics, 2016-2017
    • Sloan Research Fellowship Recipient, , 2011-2013
    • USC Zumberge Research and Innovation Fund Award, , 2012-2013
    • Rayleigh-Knight prize, Spring 2005

  • Administrative Appointments

    • Dean’s Leadership Fellow for the Natural Sciences & Mathematics, 02/16/2019
    • Member of the Dornsife Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (DCAPT), 08/16/2017
    • Chair, 08/16/2023-08/15/2026
    • Member of the Dornsife Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (DCAPT), 08/16/2023-08/15/2024
    • Dean’s Leadership Fellow for the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 08/16/2022-08/15/2023
    • Vice Chair, 08/16/2022-08/15/2023
    • Member of the Dornsife Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (DCAPT), 08/16/2020-08/15/2023
    • Dean’s Leadership Fellow for the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 08/16/2021-08/15/2022
    • Dean’s Leadership Fellow for the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 08/16/2020-08/15/2021
    • Dean’s Leadership Fellow for the Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 02/16/2019-08/15/2020
    • Member of the Dornsife Committee on Appointments, Promotion, and Tenure (DCAPT), 08/16/2017-08/15/2020

    Committees

    • RTPC Promotions Committee, 2016-2017
    • Dornsife College Promotion Committee, 2015-2016