Graduate Students
Graduate Students
Embedded Files
Nidhay Acharekar
Email: nidhayacharekar@vt.edu
Mike Ackermann
Email: amike98@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website
Advisors: Serkan Gugercin & Steffen Werner
My areas of research are data-driven reduced order modeling and numerical linear algebra. I have taught Calculus and Linear Algebra, and have also been a coach for the CMDA capstone course. I am involved in many student organizations, including the SIAM student chapter, math graduate student organization, peer mentor program, and directed reading program.
Aidan Akbar
Email: aidanakb@vt.edu
Lucy Allan
Email: lucyallan@vt.edu
Sam Bender
Email: skbender@vt.edu
Lynn Bruncati
Email: bbruncati23@vt.edu
Advisor: Michael Robert
I research thermal performance of Culex mosquitoes and potential West Nile virus transmission. I currently teach MATH 1225. I serve as the president for Spectra at Virginia Tech and am a graduate peer mentor.
Jenifer De Jager
Email: jraind@vt.edu
Advisor: Serkan Gugercin
I am a PhD student researching Koopman theory and Dynamic Mode Decomposition from an analysis perspective.
Paola Deniz Galvez
Email: denizpaola@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn
Advisor: Lauren Childs
My research interests are in infectious disease modeling and computational methods for parameter estimation, combining mathematical analysis and simulations to better understand disease dynamics.
Hank Ewing
Email: hankewing@vt.edu
Rodrigo Figueroa Justiniano
Email: r775f886@vt.edu
Advisors: Paul Cazeaux & Agnieszka Miedlar
I'm an international student from Bolivia and my research interests lie in the fields of Numerical Analysis, Numerical Linear Algebra, Scientific Computing, and Randomization.
Dan Folescu
Email: dan1345@vt.edu
Professional Links: GitHub
Advisor: Mark Embree
Dan's research focuses on methods underpinning the data-driven modeling and simulation of dynamical systems. He is the developer of CIMTOOL, a parallel MATLAB package implementing these algorithms. Since 2021, Dan has represented the Department of Mathematics as a Graduate and Professional Student Senator, where he currently serves on the University Mission Initiative Committee. He currently serves on the board of the department's Graduate Student Organization.
Jake Fortuna
Email: jakef04@vt.edu
Kaiwen Fu
Email: kaiwenfu@vt.edu
Advisor: Traian Iliescu
My research interests lie at the intersection of computational mathematics, dynamical systems, data assimilation, inverse problems, and machine learning, with a focus on developing numerical and data-driven methods for modeling, forecasting, and understanding complex systems.
Ziyao Fu
Email: ziyaof@vt.edu
Jose de Jesus Gaitan Montejo
Email: jogaitan@vt.edu
Carlos Alberto Garzon Gutierrez
Email: cgarzongu@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn
Advisor: José Ramón Madrid Padilla
My research interests lie in analysis and its applications, with a current focus on problems in classical harmonic analysis. Previously, I have worked on partial differential equations, studying the well-posedness and smoothing properties of solutions to nonlinear dispersive models.
Charles Gleason
Email: cpgleason65@vt.edu
Megan Grey
Email: greym@vt.edu
Advisor: Nicole Abaid
I am a PhD candidate whose research interest include using data-driven techniques, such as Information Theory, SINDy, and Empirical Dynamical Modeling, to infer interactions in biological multi-agent systems. I have teaching experience in Pre-Calculus, Calculus 1 and Calculus 2, and have assisted with Geometry of Design and Intro to CMDA. My service roles include SGTA, GPSS Director of Programs, Graduate Representative of Broadening Participation in Mathematics, and previously held officer roles in AWM and CMBS.
Oliver Hill
Email: oliverthill@vt.edu
Nathan Houe
Email: muggpillow@vt.edu
Ghafirlia Istafa
Email: ghafirlia@vt.edu
Shreyas Jain
Email: jshreyas@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn, Scholar
Advisor: Gretchen Matthews
I'm primarily interested in the theory and application of both classical and quantum error-correcting codes. In classical coding theory, my main interest is in the study and use of evaluation codes, in particular, Reed-Muller and algebraic geometry codes. On the quantum side, I'm most interested in quantum codes useful for fault-tolerant quantum computation, and construction of quantum codes from classical ones. More generally, my interests can mostly described to be in the intersection of algebra and theoretical computer science.
Xuanyu Li
Email: xuanyu@vt.edu
Monica Lichtenwalner
Email: mlichtenwalner@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, LinkedIn
Advisor(s): Gretchen Matthews
I am a third-year graduate student, with research interests in the area of coding theory. I am currently an instructor of record for MATH 1226 (Calculus of a Single Variable). When I'm not doing math, I enjoy playing video games with friends and hanging out with my two cats.
Jacob Lineberry
Email: jclinebe@vt.edu
Advisor: Megan Wawro
I am a Math Education grad student, interested in the teaching and learning of mathematics in Physics courses.
William Mahaney
Email: mahaney1@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, GitHub
Advisor: Travis Morrison
My research interests lie primarily in the intersection of Computational Number Theory, Probability Theory, and Post-Quantum Cryptography. I specifically study Isogeny-based cryptography which is a form of cryptography based on elliptic curve arithmetic, and I try to prioritize applications of theory whenever possible. I am one of three council members for the Directed Reading Program.
Jonathan Michel
Email: jmichel1322@vt.edu
Anayse Miller
Email: anaysem@vt.edu
Advisor: Lauren Childs
I am a graduate student in the math bio group and my research focuses on population modeling. I have served as the AWM Graduate Student Representative for 3 years and was a cofounder of the VT - Math Graduate Student Seminar.
Corinne Mitchell
Email: cmitchell8@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website
Advisor: Estrella Johnson
Corinne is in her final year of PhD work and expects to graduate in May 2027. Her dissertation focuses on the relationship between enculturation into proof-based mathematical practices and students' mathematics identities through an equity lens, for which she won a College of Science Roundtable Make-A-Difference Fellowship award. She is also active in the professional development space, designing and leading workshops that support faculty to adopt research-based instructional practices. Corinne has previously served as an SGTA and Vice President of the department AWM chapter. Corinne is also a founding member of the department Spectra chapter and the Math GSO. In her free time, she likes hiking, knitting, and volunteering with a local literacy organization.
Chi Nguyen
Email: ckn@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, GitHub
Advisor: Sarah Arpin
My research interests are quaternion algebras, modular forms, and modular curves. I have been co-running SUBgroups (https://gradsubgroups.org/) since 2024!
Vlad Nita
Email: nitav@vt.edu
Alexandra Prostota
Email: sashapro25@vt.edu
Zuriah Quinton
Email: zquinton@vt.edu
Hayden Ringer
Email: hringer@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, LinkedIn, GitHub
Advisor: Mark Embree
I'm a 6th-year PhD student in the Mathematics Department at Virginia Tech. My research focuses on applied and computational mathematics. More specifically, I develop and apply techniques from numerical linear algebra, optimization, and Bayesian statistics. Applications include geoscience (earthquakes and tsunamis) and life science (dairy cattle diet optimization). I have been working on developing computational methods for inverse eigenvalue problems which arise from partial differential equations. In particular, I am interested in techniques to infer the shape of a drum from its vibrational frequencies (eigenvalues). This semester, I am coaching students for our CMDA Capstone program.
Johnny Rivera
Email: jorivera@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn
Advisor: Daniel Orr
I am a graduate students here in the math department at Virginia Tech. My current research interests lie in enumerative and algebraic combinatorics. Currently, I am an instructor of record for Preparation for Calculus. My other teaching experience includes teaching a week-long breakout course called Bijective Proofs and another called Catalan Numbers at MathPath, which is where I spend my summers.
Amitabha Roy
Email: amitabha25@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn
Advisor: Andreas Deuchert
I am interested to work in mathematical physics. In brief, my field of work involves rigorously proving mathematical results which are related to problems in physics. My work primarily involves mathematical analysis, which includes measure theory and operator theory. Presently I am a teaching assistant for Elementary Calculus (87263).
Giacomo Scilla
Email: gjscilla@vt.edu
Advisor: Honghu Liu
Giacomo's interests lie at the intersection of analysis, differential equations, bifurcation theory, and mathematical modeling.
Julia Shapiro
Email: juliams22@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, LinkedIn
Advisor: Gretchen Matthews
Julia Shapiro is a Ph.D. student in Mathematics, advised by Professor Gretchen Matthews. Her research is in coding theory with a focus on network coding and quantum error correction. She is a Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy Scholar, co-organizer of the Postgraduate International Coding Theory Seminar, and President of the Association for Women in Mathematics Chapter at VT. She also serves as a Graduate Ambassador and Peer Mentor in the VT Department of Mathematics.
Margaret Smith
Email: mgsmith27@vt.edu
Rudi Smith
Email: smithrgh@vt.edu
Jennifer Smucker
Email: jennifer21@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website
Advisor: Eyvindur Ari Palsson
I am a 6th-year PhD student. My research interests lie at the intersection of Harmonic Analysis and Number Theory. I’m currently studying multilinear forms motivated from point configurations, and applications of those forms to Erdos -Falconer type problems.
Sirawit Srakaew
Email: sirawit@vt.edu
Advisor: Stanca Ciupe
I am interested in pursuing research in mathematical modeling, with a particular focus on within-host dynamics. My current work centers on developing and studying mechanistic models of HIV infection.
Ethan Strumwasser
Email: ethans24@vt.edu
Achintya Sunil
Email: axs2061@vt.edu
Cankat Tilki
Email: cankat@vt.edu
Toussaint Towa
Email: ttowa@vt.edu
Matthew Walker
Email: mwalke90@vt.edu
Lucas Wenger
Email: ljwenger99@vt.edu
Winona Wherley
Email: winonawherley@vt.edu
Nathan Youmans
Email: ynathan@vt.edu
Zhe Yuan
Email: zhey@vt.edu
Teona Zurabashvili
Email: teona94@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn
Advisors: Jeff Borggaard & Honghu Liu
I am Math Ph.D. student at Virginia Tech exploring SDEs, PIDEs, control theory, and financial applications.
Recent Graduates
Recent Graduates
Hamza Adjerid
Email: hamzaadjerid@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, LinkedIn
Advisor: Jeff Borggaard
Graduated: Summer 2026 (PhD)
Linus Balicki
Email: balicki@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website, GitHub
Advisor: Serkan Gugercin
Graduated: Fall 2025 (PhD)
Aditya Khanna
Email: adityakhanna@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website
Advisor: Nicholas Loehr
Graduated: Spring 2026 (PhD)
Yichen Li
Email: liyichen@vt.edu
Professional Links: LinkedIn
Advisor: Pengtao Yue
Graduated: Fall 2025 (PhD)
Ian Moore
Email: ianm9123@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website
Advisor: Traian Iliescu
Graduated: Spring 2026 (PhD)
Kevin Summers
Email: kevins19@vt.edu
Professional Links: Website
Advisor: Leonardo Mihalcea
Graduated: Spring 2026 (PhD)
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