A gold medal at the 1995 International Mathematical Olympiad marked the early academic trajectory of Dmitry Chelkak. Born in Leningrad in 1979, he developed a career in analysis, probability theory, and mathematical physics. His research primarily explores the properties of two-dimensional lattice models, specifically investigating conformal invariance and universality within the framework of statistical mechanics.
Academic Foundations and Early Research
Chelkak completed his studies at Saint Petersburg State University, earning a diploma in 2000. He continued his academic advancement by receiving his doctorate from the Steklov Institute in 2003, subsequently obtaining a candidate of Sciences degree in Physics and Mathematics. Early in his career, he held an Euler scholarship in Heidelberg and worked in Potsdam. His professional path included a tenure as a lecturer at Saint Petersburg State University from 2004 to 2010 and at the Chebyshev Laboratory between 2010 and 2014.
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Collaborating with Stanislav Smirnov, Chelkak produced significant work on the two-dimensional Ising model. By examining isoradial graphs and fermionic observables, the pair demonstrated universality and conformal invariance at criticality. This research is documented in publications such as those in Inventiones Mathematicae and Advances in Mathematics. Beyond lattice models, he has performed extensive analysis on spectral theory, focusing on inverse spectral problems related to one-dimensional differential operators.
Professional Appointments and Recognition
Chelkak has held several international academic positions, including time at ETH Zurich and a role as a visiting professor in Geneva. Between 2016 and 2022, he was affiliated with the École Normale Supérieure, followed by an appointment at the University of Michigan in 2022. He maintains a long-term connection to the St. Petersburg Department of the Steklov Institute, where he has served as a senior researcher since 2009. His honors include the Young Mathematician Prize of the St. Petersburg Mathematical Society in 2004, the Pierre Deligne Prize in 2008, and the Salem Prize in 2014. In 2018, he served as an invited speaker at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Rio de Janeiro.
Fast facts
- Born: 1979, Saint Petersburg
- Citizenship: Russia
- Education: Saint Petersburg State University
- Award: Salem Prize (2014)
- Fields of work: Mathematical analysis, physics, probability theory
- Notable role: Invited speaker, International Congress of Mathematicians (2018)
Questions readers ask
What is the primary focus of Dmitry Chelkak's mathematical research?
His work concentrates on mathematical analysis, mathematical physics, and probability theory, with a specialized focus on conformal invariance in two-dimensional lattice models.
Where has Dmitry Chelkak held academic positions?
He has been affiliated with the Steklov Institute of Mathematics, Saint Petersburg State University, ETH Zurich, the École Normale Supérieure, and the University of Michigan.
Achievements
- Salem Prize — 2014
- Held posts at University of Michigan, École Normale Supérieure and St. Petersburg Department of Steklov Institute of Mathematics of Russian Academy of Sciences
- Fields: probability theory, mathematical physics and mathematical analysis
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