Michael Thomas and Melissa Wei recognized by NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (5/16/2025) – Two School of Mathematics graduate students were recently honored with recognition by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). Michael Thomas was awarded a fellowship and Melissa Wei earned an honorable mention.
Michael Thomas joined the Mathematics PhD program in Fall 2023 after completion of his undergraduate studies in mathematics here at the University of Minnesota. “There are very few areas of math that aren't interesting, but I'm especially drawn towards the intersection between pure and applied mathematics,” he says. “I find it fascinating how sometimes problems with inspiration from the real world can be looked at in a new way and suddenly become topology, combinatorics, or algebra.” Advised by Professors Gilad Lerman and Jeffrey Calder, Thomas is currently working on a computer vision project that involves optimization over the Lie group of 3D rotations. Thomas’s goal for Summer 2025 is to make strong headway on his current project.
Melissa Wei, a first-year graduate student, came to UMN in Fall 2024 after completing her undergraduate studies at Cornell University. Her research interests are in algebraic topology and homotopy theory, with particular interest in areas like algebraic K-theory, equivariant stable homotopy theory, and higher category theory. Co-advised by Professors Mike HIll and Maru Sarazola, one of the projects Wei is working on involves studying the homotopy theory of simplicial complexes through constructing model structures on ordered simplicial complexes and various intermediate subcategories of simplicial sets. Her goals for Summer 2025 are to finish writing a paper for her project and to start exploring algebraic K-theory and equivariant stable homotopy theory.
The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. The program also seeks to support the participation of underrepresented groups in STEM graduate studies.
Two incoming students (Fall 2025) also earned honors from the NSF GRFP. Jason Palos was awarded a fellowship, and Paige Yeung received an honorable mention. We congratulate all four mathematicians on this significant national academic achievement!