Tanaka awarded NSF CAREER grant for higher algebra, symplectic geometry research

Hiro Lee Tanaka, assistant professor of mathematics at Texas State University, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for future work on symplectic geometry and spectral algebra. The grant will progress several educational initiatives aimed at enriching and diversifying the mathematics community.

The five-year Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant was awarded by the Algebra, Number Theory & Combinatorics and Topology programs of the Division of Mathematical Sciences of NSF. The $400,000 grant will fund Tanaka’s research project, "Higher Algebra and Symplectic Geometry."

The CAREER program offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.

Symplectic geometry is a geometry that efficiently encodes laws of motion dictating classical problems in physics. Spectral algebra mixes traditional notions of adding and multiplying with more contemporary tools for studying shapes of arbitrarily high dimensions. Tanaka’s project aims to construct a long-sought-after bridge, to not only produce spectral methods for studying symplectic geometry, but to establish symplectic tools for studying spectral algebra.

The project also has an educational component that integrates Tanaka's research activities with a workshop for students to learn contemporary mathematical techniques of interest, a math podcast for and by students, and various co-curricular activities aimed at fostering communities of emerging mathematicians.