Thomas Nikolaus is a new spokesperson for the “Mathematics Münster” Cluster of Excellence

Thomas Nikolaus, Professor of Theoretical Mathematics at the University of Münster, was elected as a new spokesperson for the Cluster of Excellence "Mathematics Münster" last week. He succeeds Prof. Christopher Deninger, who held the position jointly with Prof. Mario Ohlberger since the Cluster began its work in 2019. Mario Ohlberger continues in the position.

"I'm delighted to be able to contribute to the successful development of Mathematics Münster from now on as spokesperson," said Nikolaus, 39, after being voted into office, a procedure which took place at the General Assembly of all the members of the Cluster. In future, he will represent the research alliance both inside and outside the University and will have responsibility for the overall management of the Cluster.

"Let's work together to push the boundaries of mathematical knowledge!" was Nikolaus' appeal to the researchers involved in the Cluster. The great diversity and mathematical excellence of its members at all stages in their careers were excellent preconditions, he said, for achieving outstanding research results. Widely acclaimed publications, awards, and successes in externally funded programmes during the life of the Cluster so far demonstrated the strength of research at Mathematics Münster, he added, and ensured that the international visibility of Münster as a centre of mathematics would increase.

One important task which Thomas Nikolaus sees is in communicating the Cluster's research goals both inside and outside the University. This will be particularly important in the next few months, he says, as the application for continued funding as a Cluster of Excellence for a further seven years from 2026 has to be completed by the summer of this year.

One other major project for which he shares responsibility is the new "Centre of Mathematics Münster" (CMM) research centre which is currently being built on Orléans Ring and is due to be ready for use during 2025. Facilitated by an open-plan room concept, the research programme at CMM aims to develop interdisciplinary approaches and techniques for solving central mathematical problems - making it a systematic continuation of the approach taken by the Cluster of Excellence to network various mathematical fields.

Christopher Deninger made a decisive contribution to the successful development of Mathematics Münster as Cluster spokesperson - from the phase of drawing up the application, and the Cluster beginning its work on 1 January 2019, to building up a vibrant research hub which today numbers around 200 researchers. On behalf of all members, Mario Ohlberger thanked Deninger, his co-spokesperson up to now, for his dedication and their good working relationship, and presented him with an "MM honorary doctorate hat". Instead of flowers, Deninger was given a basket containing local beer and crisps, to the sound of heavy metal music - very much to the taste of the organiser of the music festival "Das Schloss rockt".

Thomas Nikolaus …
… was born in 1984 and has been Professor of Theoretical Mathematics at the University of Münster since 2018. The main fields of his research are homotopy theory, higher category theory, and higher algebra. After graduating in mathematics and completing his PhD at the University of Hamburg, he worked as a postdoc at the University of Regensburg and as an interim professor at the University of Bonn. From 2015 to 2018 he headed a team of junior researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Mathematics in Bonn. He has two sons.

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Organisation and Management of Mathematics Münster

Webpage Thomas Nikolaus

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