Dr. Wencai Liu, associate professor of mathematics at Texas A&M University, has been selected to receive a 2024 fellowship from the New York-based Simons Foundation in support of his broad-ranging research in mathematical physics.
Liu is one of 50 mathematicians across the United States and Canada recognized this year with the prestigious award intended to support distinguished scientists in their research. A member of the Texas A&M Department of Mathematics faculty since 2019, he is internationally respected for his expertise in mathematical physics. Already in his young career, Liu has made substantial contributions, particularly in the study of quasi-periodic and periodic Schrodinger operators.
Liu earned his Ph.D. in 2015 from Fudan University in China and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Irvine, under the mentorship of Dr. Svetlana Jitomirskaya prior to beginning his independent academic career as an assistant professor at Texas A&M, where he was promoted to associate professor in 2023. His research has primarily focused on mathematical physics, particularly the dynamics of linear and nonlinear Schrodinger equations. These equations are fundamental to quantum mechanics and have significantly contributed to our understanding of various phenomena in solid-state physics and condensed matter physics, among other avenues with multidisciplinary impact and application. Such equations and related breakthroughs hold the potential to revolutionize areas from quantum computing and quantum communication to the development of new semiconductor materials.
“Although still near the beginning of his career, Dr. Liu has already established himself as an international leader in spectral theory,” said Dr. Peter Howard, professor and head of Texas A&M Mathematics. “Looking at his accomplishments over such a short period of time, you have to be in awe of the fact that he's just getting started.”
Simons Fellows program funds enable recipients to take extended leave — anywhere from a semester to a full year — from their classroom teaching and administrative obligations to focus solely on research for the long periods often necessary for significant advances. Liu plans to spend the upcoming academic year at the University of California, Berkeley, conducting collaborative research with several faculty in the Department of Mathematics there, including Jitomirskaya.
“I intend to use my faculty development leave to deepen my collaborations with Professor Jitomirskaya, who recently moved from UC Irvine to UC Berkeley, on topics related to quasi-periodic Schrodinger operators and twisted bilayer graphene,” Liu said. “This research is anticipated to advance the development of low-dimensional materials, with broad implications for the field.”
Established in 2010, the Simons Foundation Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) division supports research in mathematics, theoretical physics and theoretical computer science by providing funding for individuals, institutions and science. MPS is among the four areas supported by Simons Foundation grants along with Life Sciences, Autism & Neuroscience and Science, Society & Culture.
Liu is one of four Texas A&M mathematicians recently honored as Simons Fellows, joining Dr. Grigoris Paouris in 2021 and both Dr. Eric C. Rowell and Dr. Guoliang Yu in 2019.
“The Mathematics Department at Texas A&M University boasts a distinguished group working in the area of mathematical physics, including Peter Kuchment, Gregory Berkolaiko, Dean Baskin, Andrew Comech, Jonas Lührmann and Patricia Alonso Ruiz,” Liu said. “Their collective expertise underscores the department's leadership in the field.”
In addition to his Simons Fellowship, Liu was an invited speaker at the 2021 International Congress of Mathematical Physics in Geneva. In 2023, he and Jitomirskaya also received a Frontiers of Science Award at the inaugural International Congress of Basic Science in Beijing. Beyond excelling in research, Liu is also deeply committed to outreach activities, including his work as co-founder of the department's Program for Research in Mathematics (PReMa) and a co-organizer for the Texas A&M Math Circle.
For additional information about the Simons Foundation or the Simons Fellows program, visit https://www.simonsfoundation.org/.