Discrete Mathematics and Coding Theory

Research interests in this group center around structural problems in combinatorics, and coding theory, the study of schemes for encoding data to, for example, efficiently detect errors in transmission.

Faculty

Christine Kelley works in coding theory and applied discrete mathematics. Her focus is on the analysis and construction of graph-based codes and the relationship between the graph representation of a code and its decoding performance. While much of her work is on LDPC codes, she is also interested in applying these techniques to other codes and problems in engineering.

Tri Lai works in algebraic and enumerative combinatorics. He is currently focusing on tiling problem and related topics, including alternating sign matrices, plane partitions, statistical physics, cluster algebras, electrical networks.

Zach Norwood works in Ramsey theory and adjacent areas of combinatorics, logic, and set theory. Much of his past work focuses on infinite-exponent Ramsey theory of definable colorings, the consistency strength of Ramsey-theoretic assertions, and applications to the theory of MAD families.

Xavier Pérez Giménez works in probabilistic combinatorics. Much of his work focuses on random graphs and other related random discrete structures. He is also interested in random processes that model the dissemination of information or spread of infection over a network.

Jamie Radcliffe works in several areas of combinatorics, discrete mathematics and geometry. His most recent work is on extremal problems for enumerative graph parameters--parameters of a graph obtained by counting the number of substructures of a certain type in the graph.

Judy Walker works in algebraic coding theory. Much of her work uses techniques from number theory, algebraic geometry and graph theory. She has worked with algebraic geometric codes over rings and the relationship between weight measures on these codes and exponential sums. Currently, she studies low density parity check codes, focusing especially on their pseudocodeword structure.

Current Graduate Students

Nik Kuzmanovski
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Meraiah Martinez
Advised by: Christine Kelley

Kirsten Morris
Advised by: Christine Kelley

Dan Welchons
Advised by: Christine Kelley

Recent Graduates

Leilani Pai (PhD 2023) 
Advised by: Xavier Perez

Austin Eide (PhD 2023)
Advised by: Xavier Perez

Emily McMillion (PhD 2022) 
Advised by: Christine Kelley 

Adam Volk (PhD 2022)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

George Nasr (PhD 2021)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Alyssa Whittemore (PhD 2021)
Advised by: Xavier Perez

JD Nir (PhD 2020)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Allison Beemer (PhD 2018)
Advised by: Christine Kelley

Jessalyn Bolkema (PhD 2018)
Advised by: Judy Walker

Jessica DeSilva (PhD 2018)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Corbin Groothius (PhD 2018)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe and John Meakin

Rachel Kirsch (PhD 2018)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Carolyn Mayer (PhD 2018)
Advised by: Christine Kelley

Brent McKain (PhD 2017)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Charles Tomlinson (PhD 2017)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Caitlyn Parmelee (PhD 2016)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Sarah Behrens (PhD 2015)
Advised by: Stephen Hartke

Lauren Keough (PhD 2015)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

James Carraher (PhD 2014)
Advised by: Stephen Hartke

Katie Haymaker (PhD 2014)
Advised by: Christine Kelley

Derek Boeckner (PhD 2013)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Katie Johnson (PhD 2012)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe

Katie Morrison (PhD 2012)
Advised by: Judy Walker

Derrick Stolee (PhD 2012)
Advised by: Stephen Hartke and N.V. Vinodchandran

Jason Vander Woude (PhD 2023)
Advised by: Jamie Radcliffe and Vinod Variyam