An international leader and researcher of advanced geometry took the helm of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics at Stony Brook University this fall.
Ludmil Katzarkov is well known for his work and its far-reaching implications in geometry, number theory, and physics. He has worked in the following areas: uniformization, where he was instrumental in proving the Shafarevich conjecture in the nilpotent, linear and quasiprojective case; and homological mirror symmetry, where he proved this string theory-induced conjecture in many cases. He also used ideas from homological mirror symmetry to prove the nonrationality of generic four-dimensional cubic.
“Ludmil Katzarkov is an outstanding choice to carry forward the legacy begun by Jim Simons and C.N. “Frank” Yang, whose inspired collaboration unlocked a new relationship between physics and mathematics that is foundational to twenty-first century research in both fields, and led to the creation of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics more than 15 years ago,” said Stony Brook President Andrea Goldsmith. “As envisioned by Jim and Frank, the Simons Center is an international leader in catalyzing research at the intersection of physics and geometry, bringing together established and early-career physicists and mathematicians to discover new truths about the universe. We are so pleased to welcome Dr. Katzarkov to the Simons Center to help guide its next exciting chapter of discovery and impact.”
Uniformitization is a process by which geometers can study a curved shape by flattening it without distorting it. Katzarkov’s work on the Shafarevich conjecture proved that it is possible to “unroll” these complex shapes and study them, even when the shapes’ surfaces are not smooth, or have punctures or unclear edges.
Geometric shapes can be described using properties from physics, such as area and energy, or algebraically, including measuring particular points and how they relate to each other. For almost 40 years, homological mirror symmetry has been used to translate these properties for specific types of shapes. Katzarkov proved that homological mirror symmetry applies to a far wider range of shapes than previously thought, and suggests that it may in fact be a general law to connect distinct branches of mathematics. Homological mirror symmetry can also be used by physicists in string theory to calculate how fundamental particles may move through hidden dimensions.
Katzarkov also used principles from homological mirror symmetry to prove that a generic four-dimensional cubic cannot be flattened into a simple flat space, solving a question that has puzzled mathematicians for more than 50 years.
“Dr. Katzarkov is a brilliant geometer and a deeply creative thinker,” said Carl W. Lejuez, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Stony Brook. “As a mathematician, his work has greatly expanded our understanding of the world and its dimensions, and as a leader, Ludmil brings a tremendous capacity for innovative thinking to imagine what could come next, and to bring those ideas into reality. I am pleased to welcome him to Stony Brook as the next director of the Simons Center for Geometry and Physics.”
“Dr. Ludmil Katzarkov has been involved regularly in the activities of the Simons Center in the last decade, so he is familiar with our community and its structure,” said Luis Álvarez-Gaumé, current director of the Simons Center and professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Arts and Sciences. “Being a center of mathematics and physics, it is envisaged that the director alternates between a physicist and a mathematician, while the deputy director should be the other way around to keep a balance. Ludmil brings many ideas and initiatives to the Center, and we welcome him to this leadership role.”
Katzarkov previously served as a professor at the University of Miami and the Institute of Mathematics and Informatics at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and, before that, was the executive director of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences of the Americas and the scientific director of the International Center for Mathematical Sciences in Sofia, Bulgaria. He holds a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania.
His appointment began September 1, 2026.
“Ludmil is a brilliant mathematician and a visionary leader,” said Yuri Tschinkel, executive vice president for mathematics and physical sciences at the Simons Foundation, and a trustee of the Simons Center. “I look forward to working with him.”
The Simons Center for Geometry and Physics was founded in 2010 with a gift of $60 million from the Simons Foundation to Stony Brook University, the largest gift in the history of the State University of New York system at the time. The Center was established through the vision and generous support of world-renowned mathematician Jim Simons, former chair of Stony Brook’s Department of Mathematics and the founder of Renaissance Technologies, and Marilyn Simons. The Center is devoted to furthering fundamental knowledge in mathematics and theoretical physics by bringing together researchers from both disciplines in an environment that encourages interdisciplinary collaboration.
“Dr. Ludmi Katzarkov will be the third SCGP director, after the founding director John Morgan, who is a mathematician, and the current director Luis Álvarez-Gaumé, who is a physicist,” said Yakov Eliashberg, chair of the Simons Center board of trustees. “The two first directors did a tremendous job towards realizing Jim Simons’ vision and dream of establishing a world-class institution fostering interaction between mathematics and physics, and accelerating research and progress in these two fundamental disciplines. Ludmil brings new energy, skills, and ideas into learning the Center to further successes.”
Since its founding, the Simons Center has become a central hub for leading and emerging researchers from the US and overseas to share groundbreaking discoveries and create connections. The Center draws scholars from around the world to its iconic, state-of-the-art facility who come to participate in long-term research programs, a variety of week-long workshops, and summer workshops.
The Center’s senior faculty, who also hold joint appointments at SBU academic departments, are preeminent physicists and mathematicians who over the years have received some of the most prestigious prizes in math and physics, including the Fields Medal, Breakthrough Prize, Shaw Prize, and New Horizons in Math and Physics Prizes, among many others. The Center also offers a robust program for postdoctoral scholars, many of whom go on to pursue careers in research at leading academic institutions around the world.