Heriot-Watt mathematician awarded for his outstanding contributions and groundbreaking research

A mathematician at Heriot-Watt University has won a prestigious prize for his ‘outstanding contributions’ to mathematics.

Dr Alessandro Sisto, an Associate Professor at the University’s School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, has won the Whitehead Prize from the London Mathematical Society.

The London Mathematical Society is the UK’s learned society for mathematics and promotes mathematical knowledge and research in the UK and internationally. It has more than 3,000 members in the UK and globally.

The Whitehead Prize is awarded for a candidate's work and influence on mathematics and recognises Dr Sisto’s outstanding contributions to geometric group theory, particularly his ‘groundbreaking’ work on hierarchically hyperbolic spaces.

“Group theory makes up a large chunk of mathematics and is the mathematical study of symmetries,” Dr Sisto explained. “Any time in science that you're dealing with symmetries, there's a group underlying them. For example, in chemistry, when you look at the various symmetries of a crystal, there are groups there.”

The London Mathematical Society said Dr Sisto’s work had led to new results and makes it possible to understand the large-scale geometry of many groups and spaces. His work has also been ‘very influential’ and eventually led to an entirely new theory around hyperbolic spaces, the Society added. It also described Dr Sisto’s contributions as ‘important,’ with some ‘surprising results.’

“These results have great impact on geometric group theory,” the London Mathematical Society said. “In addition, Sisto is very prolific, with over 50 publications (and some quite substantial) after only 10 years since PhD.”

Dr Sisto said: “I’m very honoured to receive this prize. It’s amazing that my work has this level of recognition and I’m quite proud of that.”

Professor Sara Lombardo, Executive Dean of Heriot-Watt’s School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences, said: “Alessandro has made deep and impactful contributions to geometric group theory, so this prize is very well deserved – and I am delighted to see his work recognised with this prestigious award.

“The School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences hosts a very strong group working on geometric group theory, arguably one of the most impactful in the UK and internationally.”

The Whitehead Prize was first launched by the London Mathematical Society in 1973 in memory of Professor Henry Whitehead, a Professor of Pure Mathematics at the University of Oxford and President of the London Mathematical Society from 1953 to 1955. Up to six Whitehead Prizes a year are awarded in the UK to early career mathematicians to recognise achievements including their work in and influence on mathematics.

Born in Italy, Dr Sisto completed his PhD at the University of Oxford in 2013 after Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees at the University of Pisa. His research has been published in journals including Duke Mathematical Journal, Advances in Mathematics and Geometry & Topology. His other awards include the Kamil Duszkenko award, which is presented to young mathematicians for outstanding research that advances the field of mathematics. Before joining Heriot-Watt University in 2020, Dr Sisto was an Assistant Professor at ETH Zurich, a public research university in Zurich, Switzerland.

He mentors two PhD students at the University’s EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Algebra, Geometry, and Quantum Fields. This is a collaboration between Heriot-Watt University, the University of Edinburgh and the University of Glasgow to advance mathematical innovation, leveraging the power of symmetry, geometry, and quantum physics to shape the science and technologies of tomorrow.

Dr Sisto will be presented with his award today (Fri 22 Nov) during the 2024 London Mathematical Society Annual General Meeting, at BMA House in London, a historic Grade II listed building which has been home to the British Medical Association since 1925.