Rising Star Leading the Global Mathematics Community | Jeongin Lee (29), Professor of Mathematics at Ajou University

Jeongin Lee, a professor in the Department of Mathematics at Ajou University, is regarded as a next-generation mathematician contributing to the advancement of the domestic mathematics field. This professor's prominence stems from their expertise in number theory, which is in its early stages of research in Korea and is a fundamental science field. Their specialization within number theory focuses on arithmetic statistics, exploring statistical properties of certain mathematical entities.

Explaining further, the professor stated, "Despite the term 'arithmetic statistics' potentially leading to misconceptions that statistical knowledge is required, it has evolved, particularly since 2014 with scholars like Manjul Bhargava, a Fields Medalist from Princeton University, to become a core research area within number theory."

Their paper titled "On the number of abelian varieties over finite fields" earned them the top prize in the mathematics category at the 11th Esuh-Oil Outstanding Dissertation Award. In September 2023, they were appointed as an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics at Ajou University. Prior to this, they served as a research fellow in the mathematics department at Korea Institute for Advanced Study from 2020 to 2022, and as a CMC Fellow at the Heo Jun-yi Institute for Mathematical Puzzles from November 2022 to August 2023. They have authored 10 papers thus far, with a recent focus on researching the distribution of cokernels of random p-matrices over the past two years. Their application of probabilistic ideas to algebraic objects in number theory has been recognized as their unique contribution to the field.

Last August, they organized the "Summer School on Arithmetic Statistics," garnering significant attention for introducing the field of arithmetic statistics to the domestic number theory community.

Reflecting on their academic journey, they recalled their high school days as being solely devoted to mathematics. Their inclination towards deeply engaging with mathematics remains evident in their current research direction. Unlike most mathematicians who delve deeply into a specific theory before seeking research problems, they explore research questions after absorbing a wide range of papers and theories.

The professor voiced their concerns regarding the development of the domestic mathematics field, stating, "In Korea, there's an increasing number of students who struggle with and subsequently abandon mathematics during their college entrance exam preparations. There needs to be a shift in perception, away from viewing mathematics solely as a means for financial stability or employment, towards recognizing its importance as a fundamental science field."

Regarding their future goals, they humbly stated, "If it's about research goals, I aim to continue pursuing innovative research that breaks new ground. In the long term, I hope to establish a research group in arithmetic statistics in Korea to lead the development of our country's number theory community."

*Number Theory: A branch of mathematics that studies properties of integers as its main focus. It is also known as arithmetic theory.