Jessica Purcell

Triangulations, geometry and knots: Interview with Jessica Purcell

Professor Jessica Purcell works on the interplay of hyperbolic geometry and 3-dimensional manifolds. In this SMRI interview, she describes the open questions she’s investigating and how her interest in mathematical knots began.

Jessica Purcell is a Professor in the School of Mathematical Sciences and Associate Dean of Research (Faculty of Science) at Monash University, where she carries out research into 3-manifolds, hyperbolic geometry and knot theory.

Jessica will visit SMRI as part of the Domestic Visitor Program in late 2021. She will also present a public lecture ‘The Mathematics of Knots’.

In this interview, Jessica discusses her upcoming SMRI project with University of Sydney collaborator Professor Stephan Tillmann. The mathematicians will investigate minimal triangulations of 3-manifolds, an area with important applications in computational and quantum topology.