Tom Bridgeland’s research concerns algebraic geometry, which is the study of sets of solutions — known as algebraic varieties — to polynomial equations. Algebraic geometry intersects with many other areas of mathematics and Tom’s original approach has placed the field at the very heart of the interaction between pure mathematics and string theory.
His specific focus falls on the properties of the derived categories of coherent sheaves on algebraic varieties, and he established the coherent derived category as a key invariant of algebraic varieties. The impact of Tom’s earlier work on Fourier-Mukai transforms extends beyond algebraic geometry to influence homological and commutative algebra, and orbifold and quantum cohomology, amongst other areas of mathematics.
Tom is the recipient of a number of awards including, in 2008, the University of Cambridge’s prestigious Adams Prize, which was presented on the topic of quantum fields and strings that year.
Subject groups
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Mathematics
Pure mathematics
