“An Exciting Opportunity to Grow Both Academically and Personally” Dr. Boulos El Hilany joins the TU Braunschweig through the DFG's Walter Benjamin Program

How the properties of geometric structures can be understood most easily with the help of special mathematical equations, so-called polynomial equations, is the subject of Dr. Boulos El Hilany’s research. Starting in spring of next year, he will be doing research for two years in the group of Professor Timo de Wolff at the Institute for Analysis and Algebra at Technische Universität Braunschweig. His stay is promoted by the Walter Benjamin Program of the German Research Foundation.

Dr. Boulos El Hilany will begin research at the Institute of Analysis and Algebra in spring 2021. Picture credits: Boulos El Hilany

Algebraic geometry combines two sub-areas of mathematics: geometry, i.e. the study of shapes and figures, and algebra, i.e. calculating with unknowns in equations. Boulos El Hilany conducts research in this area of mathematics, focusing on dealing with unknowns in polynomial equations. A simple example of this is the equation of a circle: x2+y2=1 “I deal with geometric structures and want to understand their properties, so-called invariants, on the basis of these structures”, explains El Hilany. “In my research I use familiar techniques from combinatorics and analysis or develop new techniques to extract invariants in a more practical way”.

El Hilany is particularly interested in problems that are relevant to both pure mathematics and its applications in the natural and engineering sciences. Thanks to funding in the Walter Benjamin Program of the German Research Foundation, he now has the freedom to devote time and resources to a project he designed himself, he says: “I see this as a challenge and an exciting opportunity to grow both academically and personally. The Walter Benjamin Program is an opportunity to advance in my specific research area and to find a place for me in the German university landscape”.

Professor Timo de Wolff from the Institute for Analysis and Algebra. Picture credits: Markus Hörster/TU Braunschweig

Timo de Wolff is also looking forward to the new colleague in his research group: “I had very much hoped that an opportunity to support a submission in this exciting new DFG program would arise early on. I have known and appreciated Boulos for years. When he came to me with this great proposal for a topic, it was clear to me: everything fits – he has to submit the proposal now”.