I am an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Skidmore College. My research interests include topological and geometric data analysis, topological combinatorics, and combinatorial and stochastic topology.
In addition to my teaching and research, I regularly supervise student research projects and independent studies in both pure and applied topics. I supervise the Putnam exam and other regional math competitions that students can compete in, and I am the Faculty Advisor for Skidmore’s Pi Mu Epsilon chapter and the Math Club on campus. I am also on the steering committee for the annual Hudson River Undergraduate Math Conference (HRUMC); for more info see https://sites.google.com/view/hrumc.
My other interests include: short stories; theatre and the performing arts; chess and old school card games; making a great defensive play in pickup basketball and immediately getting my shot blocked on the other end of the court; and playing soccer until my ankles spontaneously combust.
PhD in Mathematics, 2016
The Ohio State University
BA in Mathematics and in Theatre, 2007
Wesleyan University
The Topology and Structure of Crystallized Polyforms. SUNY at Albany Algebra/Topology Seminar, October 2019.
Dense Random Clique Complexes. JMM Special Session on Topological Data Analysis, January 2018.
k-Collapsibility of Random Clique Complexes. IMA Applied Algebraic Topology Research Network, February 2017.
MA 113: Calc 2. M 9:05-10:00am, Tu/Th 9:40-11:00am in Annex 216
MA 215: Intro to Proof. M 1:25-2:20pm, Tu/Th 2:10-3:30pm in Bolton 100
You can explore extremal hyperbolic polyforms via our applet at https://www.erikaroldan.net/extremal-p-q-animals. A crystallized polyform is one with the minimal number of tiles necessary to support the number of bounded holes in the structure.