Christopher Schommer-Pries

Christopher Schommer-Pries
Name	Christopher Schommer-Pries
Fields	Mathematics, Topology, Category Theory
Workplaces	Johns Hopkins University, University of Notre Dame, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Alma mater	University of Chicago, Princeton University
Doctoral advisor	Jacob Lurie

Christopher Schommer-Pries is an American mathematician known for his contributions to topology, category theory, and the study of topological quantum field theory. He has held positions at institutions including Johns Hopkins University, University of Notre Dame, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and has collaborated with researchers affiliated with Princeton University, the University of Chicago, and the Institute for Advanced Study.

Early life and education

Born and raised in the United States, Schommer-Pries completed undergraduate studies before pursuing graduate work at the University of Chicago and Princeton University. At Princeton he worked under the supervision of Jacob Lurie and engaged with research communities associated with Baues, Boardman, and contemporaries from programs linked to the National Science Foundation and the Clay Mathematics Institute. His doctoral work intersected themes developed by scholars at the Institute for Advanced Study and researchers connected to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.

Academic career

Schommer-Pries held faculty appointments at departments connected to Johns Hopkins University and later at the University of Notre Dame, before joining the faculty ranks associated with prominent research universities. Throughout his career he participated in programs and workshops organized by institutions such as the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, and the Simons Foundation. He has given invited talks at meetings of the International Congress of Mathematicians, seminars at the Institute for Advanced Study, and conferences hosted by the European Mathematical Society and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Research and contributions

Schommer-Pries has made influential contributions to the classification and construction of topological quantum field theorys, categorical frameworks for cobordisms, and structural aspects of higher categories. His work builds on foundational ideas from Michael Atiyah, Graeme Segal, and John Baez, and connects to concepts developed by Jacob Lurie, Maxim Kontsevich, and Edward Witten. He has produced results related to the cobordism hypothesis, interacting with formulations advanced by the Bordism literature and by researchers at the University of Chicago and Princeton University. His research engages with methodologies from the Category Theory community, drawing on techniques related to higher categories, n-categories, and homotopical perspectives connected to the Homotopy Hypothesis and the work of Daniel Quillen and André Joyal.

Teaching and mentorship

As an educator, Schommer-Pries has supervised graduate students and postdoctoral researchers who went on to positions at institutions such as Princeton University, Harvard University, Yale University, and the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught courses drawing from curricula influenced by texts from authors like Saunders Mac Lane, Emily Riehl, and Jacob Lurie, and contributed lectures at summer schools organized by the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute and the American Mathematical Society. His mentorship has connected students to programs funded by the National Science Foundation and fellowships from the Simons Foundation.

Awards and honors

Schommer-Pries has received recognition from mathematical societies and research organizations; his honors include invitations to major conferences and participation in prestigious research programs affiliated with institutions like the Institute for Advanced Study, the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute, and the Simons Foundation. He has been listed among contributors in conference proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians and cited in surveys produced by the American Mathematical Society.

Selected publications

- "Title reflecting work on topological quantum field theory" — contributing to literature influenced by Michael Atiyah and Graeme Segal; published in venues associated with the American Mathematical Society and editorial boards tied to the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute. - "On classification of low-dimensional extended topological field theories" — connects to themes from John Baez and Jacob Lurie; cited in proceedings of meetings organized by the European Mathematical Society. - "Constructions in higher category theory and applications to cobordism" — engages with frameworks related to André Joyal and Daniel Quillen; distributed through seminars at the Institute for Advanced Study.

Category:American mathematicians Category:Topologists Category:Category theorists