Department of Mathematics
Faculty of Natural Sciences
My life before BGU:
I was born and grew up in Torino, Italy (cf. Juventus). I studied mathematics, first at the Scuola Normale in Pisa, and then I moved to New York City for my PhD at Columbia University. I then went on a postdoc "tour" of Montreal, Berkeley, and Paris.
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"If you don't understand a text, maybe it's because the text is answering a question you never asked yourself. Find that question and find why you never asked it - you will find many more questions"
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My research:
In my research I study how to solve algebraic equations in the integers. These are basic questions that Greek mathematicians wondered about, and that are still largely unresolved. But we now know how to ask them in new ways, for example: is there a relation between solvability in different number systems? Can geometry or analysis help us understand when two equations are similar? This is fun, and it is also a lab where new mathematical theories are developed all the time.
Why BGU?
It is a young and dynamic University, and my new department is already home to several excellent mathematicians with similar research interests - I hope we can work on new projects together and learn from each other.
An insight from my research:
To really understand something, you have to look at in all the different ecosystems it belongs to, and with all the glasses and microscopes and telescopes you can find. If you don't understand a text, maybe it's because the text is answering a question you never asked yourself. Find that question and find why you never asked it - you will find many more questions. If you get a headache, it's a sign that your head is working. (Pirkei Avot 4: Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who learns from all people, as it is written (Psalm 119:99) “I have gained understanding from all my teachers.")
Something that doesn't appear on my resume:
I like skiing but have always wanted to get into windsurfing - hopefully I've come to the right country.
A source of inspiration:
A trilogy of children's books by Russell Stannard, where Uncle Albert (Einstein) explains the theory of relativity.
When I grow up:
I thought I wanted to be a physicist. Then I switched to math in my quest towards the abstract fundamentals. Now I'd like to become more engaged with the real world through some political projects (like how to fight to stop cooking the world with fossil fuels).
If I was not a researcher, I would be:
I'd probably still be a researcher, but in some other field (economics?).
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In brief: Night or morning? What is morning?
Beer or wine? Wine. Or mezcal.
Game of Thrones or Breaking Bad? The Wire! And also BoJack Horseman.
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