Math Professor collaborates on short spectral graph theory course in India

Sebastian Cioaba, professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, traveled to India this fall, joining a global effort to strengthen connections between international scholars and Indian universities through the Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) program.

The initiative, launched by India’s Ministry of Education, brings leading researchers and entrepreneurs from around the world to teach short intensive courses at Indian institutions.

Cioaba partnered with Rajesh Kannan, a faculty member of IIT Hyderabad, to teach a five-day course in spectral graph theory, a field that studies the structure of networks using matrices, eigenvalues and eigenvectors.

The pair believed the topic would offer valuable tools for graduate students across India as it has applications and connections with other areas of mathematics, computer science and engineering. After a competitive selection process, the course included 45 doctoral students, chosen by Kannan, from 18 different universities.

For Cioaba, the experience was both academically and personally meaningful. “It was a great opportunity to work closely with students from many institutions and to see how eager they were to learn,” he said.

It was his first time in India and the strong engagement he saw throughout the week reinforced the value of the program. “The course content and way of teaching were very impressive,” one student wrote in the anonymous feedback form. “This new information is definitely going to help my research.”