My research involves moonshine and related aspects of number theory and representation theory. For a quick introduction to moonshine, you can watch this 30-minute talk I gave on the topic.
Elliptic Curves and Thompson's Sporadic Simple group; arXiv version; published version.
Abstract: We characterize all infinite-dimensional graded virtual modules for Thompson’s sporadic simple group, whose graded traces are certain weight 3/2 weakly holomorphic modular forms satisfying special properties. We then use these modules to detect the non-triviality of Mordell-Weil, Selmer, and Tate-Safarevich groups of quadratic twists of certain elliptic curves.
Citation: Journal of Number Theory, Volume 224, 2021, Pages 274-306, ISSN 0022-314X, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnt.2021.01.015;
Vertex operators for imaginary 𝔤𝔩2-subalgebras in the Monster Lie Algebra; Joint with Darlayne Addabbo, Lisa Carbone, Elizabeth Jurisich, and Scott H. Murray.; Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra; arXiv link;
Abstract: The Monster Lie algebra 𝔪 is a quotient of the physical space of the vertex algebra V=V♮⊗V_{1,1}. For each imaginary simple root (1,n) of 𝔪, we construct vertex algebra elements that project to bases for subalgebras of 𝔪 isomorphic to 𝔤𝔩2. Our method requires the existence of pairs of primary vectors in V♮ satisfying some natural conditions, which we prove. We show that the action of the Monster finite simple group 𝕄 on the subspace of primary vectors in V♮ induces an 𝕄-action on the set of 𝔤𝔩2 subalgebras corresponding to a fixed imaginary simple root. We use the generating function for dimensions of subspaces of primary vectors of V♮ to prove that this action is non-trivial for small values of n.
Spectral theory of automorphic forms applied to string scattering amplitudes; joint with Holley Friedlander, Kim Klinger-Logan, and Manish Pandey.
In Preparation.
Abstract: In string theory, elementary particles are represented by vibrational modes of a string. Strings interact through various joining and splitting processes, and the probabilities that certain scattering processes occur are given by string scattering amplitudes. When computing a low-energy expansion of these string scattering amplitudes, coefficient functions arise that are automorphic functions appearing as solutions to various differential equations and whose expressions involve combinations of Eisenstein series on an arithmetic quotient of the exceptional group E_8. The first few solutions to these differential equations are known on SL_2(R). We describe work toward a spectral solution in the SL_3(R) case. This project was initiated at the Rethinking Number Theory 3 workshop and is in collaboration with Holley Friedlander, Kim Klinger-Logan, and Manish Pandey.
Of Moonshine and Denominator Identities. "Unveiling Infinite Symmetries: Mini-Course on Algebraic Structures of Generalized Kac-Moody Type";
Canadian Mathematical Society Summer Meeting; July 2024
Monster Lie Algebra: Friend or Foe? Mathematical Physics Seminar; Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
Waterloo, Ontario; November 30th, 2023.
Spectral theory of automorphic forms applied to string scattering amplitudes; AWM Research Symposium; Special Session, "Rethinking Number Theory".
Clark Atlanta University; September 30, 2023.
Vertex operators for imaginary 𝔤𝔩2 subalgebras in the Monster Lie algebra; Rocky Mountain Representation Theory Seminar.
Online Seminar; 16 March 2023.
Of Moonshine, Monsters, and Curves; Mathematical Sciences Seminar; IBA School of Mathematics and Computer Sciences.
Karachi, Pakistan; 13 Jan 2023.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; Number Theory Seminar; Kansas State University.
Online Seminar; October 5th, 2022.
Modular forms and Moonshine; Joint Mathematics Meetings; AMS Special Session “Modular Forms and Combinatorics.”
Virtual Conference; April 8th, 2022.
Rademacher sums and moonshine, Wednesday Zoom Seminar, Stockholm University.
Online Seminar, February 9th, 2022.
Moonshine and Elliptic Curves; Rutgers Lie Group/Quantum Mathematics Seminar.
Online Seminar; November 12th, 2021.
Moonshine and Arithmetic; John Conway Spirited Seminar Series, Lahore University of Management Sciences.
Online Seminar; November 1st, 2021.
What is... Moonshine? What is...? Seminar at the University of Queensland.
120-min; Online Seminar; October 11th, 2021.
Weight 3/2 Moonshine for the Thompson group; Specialty Seminar in Partition Theory, q-Series, and Related Topics.
Online Seminar; September 30th, 2021.
What is... Moonshine? UW Algebra and Algebraic Geometry Seminar
30-min; Virtual "Pre-Seminar" talk aimed at grad students; March 9th, 2021.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; UW Algebra and Algebraic Geometry Seminar
Online Seminar; March 9th, 2021.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; University of Virginia Number Theory Seminar.
Online Seminar; February 19th, 2021.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; Joint Mathematics Meetings; AMS Special Session on Algebraic and Arithmetic Geometry.
Virtual Conference; January 8th, 2021.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; Number Theory Seminar, University of Georgia.
Online Seminar; September 16th, 2020.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; Vanderbilt University Number Theory Seminar.
Online Seminar; September 1st, 2020.
Monster Lie Algebra: Friend or Foe; Clifford Lectures - The Web of Modularity.
Tulane University, New Orleans; Feb 2024.
"What is... moonshine?"; Women in Noncommutative Algebra & Representation Theory 3 (22w5033).
Banff International Research Station, Alberta; April 3-8, 2022.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; The Autumn Meeting of the Swedish Math Society.
Online Meeting/Uppsala, Sweden; Nov 19th, 2021
Moonshine and Elliptic Curves; Women in automorphic forms at Universität Bielefeld.
Online Conference; September 20th, 2021.
Elliptic Curves and Thompson's Sporadic Group; New Developments in Number Theory.
Virtual Contributed talk series; March 2nd, 2021. (Organized by POINT.)
Elliptic Curves and Thompson's group; Women at the Intersection of Mathematics and Theoretical Physics.
Online Conference; February 22nd, 2021 (``Gong show'' style mini-presentation.)
Elliptic Curves and Thompson's group; Modularity in Quantum Systems.
Online Conference; December 15th, 2020 (``Gong show'' style mini-presentation.)
Elliptic Curves and Thompson's group; PAlmetto Joint Arithmetic, Modularity, and Analysis Series (PAJAMAS).
Online Conference; September 19-20th, 2020.
Elliptic Curves and Moonshine; Madison Moduli Weekend.
Online Conference; September 26-27th, 2020. (5-minute "Lightning talk." Slides)
Measuring the Role of Curiosity in Student Engagement and Performance; The Advanced Graduate Teaching Fellowship Symposium.
Virtual Symposium; May 5th, 2020. (A Teaching-as-Research Project; Slides.)
On Moonshine and Elliptic Curves. (Ph.D. Dissertation; 2021)
Quivers: Representations, Mutations, and Applications. (Undergrad Thesis – Expository; 2015)