David Wehlau
Professor, RMC Math & Computer Science
| Office: | Jeffery Hall, Rm 503 |
|---|---|
| Phone: | (613) 533-2389 |
| Email: | david.wehlau@queensu.ca |
| Website: | mast.queensu.ca/~wehlau/ |
| Research: | Algebraic groups, invariant theory, commutative algebra, discrete mathematics |
Degrees & Accolades:
Ph.D. (Brandeis, 1989)
Master’s (Brandeis, 1984)
H. BSc. (Western, 1983)
Research Profile:
I am interested in algebraic groups and their polynomial invariants. Invariant Theory is the study of symmetry and traces its origins back to Lagrange (1773-1775) and Gauss (1801) who were interested in the roots of polynomials and representing integers using quadratic forms. The set of polynomials fixed pointwise by a group forms a subring of polynomials and the main goal is to describe this ring and its properties. I also study various topics in discrete mathematics, including graph theory and geometry over finite fields. In both these areas of mathematics there are many important problems accessible to both graduate and undergraduate students.
I am interested in working with students who want to learn mathematics and have fun doing it.