Research

Research Priorities: Network theory, graph theory, combinatorics

Alexander Schrijver is a Dutch mathematician. His research focuses on the combinatorial optimisation of optimal algorithms for combinatoric problems, network and graph theory, and the combinatorics of polyhedrons.

He is considered one of the most significant scientists in the field of combinatorial and discrete optimisation. Alexander Schrijver studies designs, transversal theory, Kneser graphs, and matroids, a specific mathematical structure in linear algebra. He has conducted research into the classic problems of combinatorial optimisation such as packing, total dual integrality, and matchings as well as into new algorithms for polynomial solvability of several combinatorial optimisation problems. Additionally, Alexander Schrijver focuses on generalisations about higher-genus surfaces.

Career

• since 1990 Professor of Discrete Mathematics and Optimisation, University of Amsterdam (UvA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• since 1989 Member and Researcher, Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica (CWI), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 1983 - 1987 Professor of Mathematics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, The Netherlands
• 1977 Doctorate, Vrije Universiteit (VU), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 1972 Master of Science, VU, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• Visiting Scholar, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany, École normale supérieure, Paris, France, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA, Microsoft Research (MSR), Redmond, USA and University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary

Projects

• 2005-2010 Member, Project “Discrete Interactive and Algorithmic Mathematics, Algebra and Number Theory DIAMANT”, Council for Physical Sciences, Dutch Research Council (NOW), The Netherlands
• 2001-2005 Member, Project “Matrix Algebras and Semidefinite Programming Techniques for Codes”, Council for Physical Sciences, NWO, The Netherlands
• 2004-2009 Member, Project “Combinatorial algorithms in bioinformatics”, Council for Physical Sciences NWO, The Netherlands

Honours and Memberships

• 2015 EURO Gold Medal (EGM), Association of European Operational Research Societies
• since 2012 Fellow, American Mathematical Society, USA
• 2011 Honorary Doctorate, Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE), Budapest, Hungary
• since 2008 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• since 2008 Ordinary Member, Academia Europaea
• 2008 Franz Edelman Award, Franz Edelman Academy, Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), Catonsville, USA
• 2008 SIGMA Prize, SURF cooperative, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• 2006 John von Neumann Theory Prize, INFORMS, Catonsville, USA
• since 2005 Member, North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Sciences, Humanities and the Arts, Düsseldorf, Germany
• 2005 Spinoza Prize, NOW, The Netherlands
• 2005 Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion, The Netherlands
• 2004 Frederick W. Lanchester Prize, INFORMS, Catonsville, USA
• 2003 Fulkerson Prize, Mathematical Programming Society, Philadelphia, USA and American Mathematical Society, USA
• 2003 George B. Dantzig Prize, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), Philadelphia, USA
• 2002 Honorary Doctorate, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
• since 1995 Member, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), The Netherlands
• 1986 Frederick W. Lanchester Prize, INFORMS, Catonsville, USA
• 1982 Fulkerson Prize, Mathematical Programming Society, Philadelphia, USA and American Mathematical Society, USA