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’: register your interest on the event page.

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.

Larissa Fedunik-Hofman