Vladimir D. Tonchev

Curriculum Vitae

(see Biographical Sketches for a short version)

Address:

Department of Mathematical Sciences
Michigan Technological University
1400 Townsend Drive
Houghton, MI 49931-1295

Phone:

Office: (906) 487-3360; Fax: (906)487-3133;
Home: (906) 482-6807
E-mail: tonchev@mtu.edu

Research Interests

Combinatorics, Coding Theory, Computer Algebra, Computational Biology.

Education:

• Postgraduate:
  • Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, March 1987, Doctor of Mathematical Sciences
    
• Graduate:
  • University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1978 - 1980
    Degree: Ph.D. Mathematics and Computer Science
  • University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1975 - 1977
    Degree: M.S. Mathematics and Computer Science
• Undergraduate:
  • University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria, 1972 - 1975
    Degree: B.S. Mathematics

Research and Scholarly Experience:

• Michigan Technological University
  Professor, May 1993 - present; Associate Professor, September 1991 - April 1993.
• Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico,
  Fulbright Senior Specialist Lecturer, May 2007.
• Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski,
  Fulbright Senior Specialist Lecturer, July 2006.
• University of Kiel , Germany, Visiting Research Professor, June 1999.
• University of Heidelberg, Germany, Visiting Research Professor, March - April 1998.
• Augsburg University, Germany, Visiting Research Professor, May-June 1998.
• Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, Visiting Research Professor, June 1993.
• University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Department of Combinatorics and Optimization, Visiting Research Professor, April - August 1991.
• University of Illinois at Chicago,
  Visiting Associate Professor, January - March 1991.
• University of Giessen,
  Giessen, Germany, Research Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, August 1989 - August 1990.
• University of Heidelberg,
  Heidelberg, Germany, Research Fellow, The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, March - July 1989; March - April 1998.
• Technological University of Munich,
  Munich, Germany, Research Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, October 1988 - February 1989.
• Eindhoven University of Technology,
  Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Research Fellow, September 1987 - August 1988.
• University of Ghent,
  Gent, Belgium, Visiting Professor, June 1987.
• University of Rome,
  Rome, Italy, Visiting Professor, May 1987.
• University of Sofia,
  Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Associate Professor, 1986 - 1990.
• Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
  Research Associate, 1980-1985.
• University of Sofia,
  Teaching Assistant, 1977-1980.

Ph.D. Theses Supervised:

• Hao Wang, "Applications of Combinatorial Designs to Coding Theory", Michigan Technological University, 2006.
• Chekad Sarami, ''Topics in Coding Theory and Combinatorial Structures'', Michigan Technological University, 2004.
• Ivan Landgev: ''Constructive methods in Combinatorics'', University of Sofia, 1990.
• Stojan Kapralov: ''Combinatorial Configurations and Automorphism Groups'', University of Sofia, 1989.

Awards, Honors and Fellowships:

• The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Award, 2007.
• Michigan Technological University Research Award, 2003.
• Mathematical Sciences Outstanding Faculty Research Award, MTU, 2003.
• Mathematical Sciences Research Award, Michigan Technological University, 1992,1995,2001,2003,2005,2006.
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship, 1998.
• London Mathematical Society Distinguished Lecture Series Award, 1995.
• Concordia University, Montreal, Research Fellowship, June 1993.
• Institute of Combinatorics and its Applications, Founding Fellow, 1991.
• University of Waterloo, Canada, Research Professorship, April-August 1991.
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship, 1989-1990.
• Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, Research Fellowship, 1987-1988.
• University of Rome, Italy, Research Fellowship, May 1987.
• University of Gent, Belgium, Research Fellowship, June 1987.
• State Prize for Young Scientists, Sofia 1986.
• Award of the Union of Balkan Mathematicians, Ankara, 1980.

External Grants:

• NSA, ``Classical and Quantum Codes'', 2006-2008.
• NSF, ``Codes for Multiple-Access Channels, Genetic Testing, Deletion-Insertion Correction, and Synchronization'', 2003-2007.
• Fulbright Senior Specialist Grant, 2006-2007.
• NSA, ``Codes, Designs and Finite Geometry'', 2002-2004.
• NRC, ``Codes for multiple-access channels, genetic testing, and asynchronous error-correction'', 2001-2003.
• Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Grant, 1998.
• NSA, ``Codes and Designs'', 1995-1997.
• NRC, ``Twinning Program'', 1995-1997.
• NSF, ``Second Upper Michigan Combinatorics Conference'', 1994.

Associate Editor / Editorial Board Member

• Designs, Codes and Cryptography, Kluwer (1991 - present)
• Journal of Combinatorial Designs, Wiley (1996 - present)
• Applications and Applied Mathematics, An Electronic Journal, (2006 - present)
• Journal of Statistical Planning and Inference, North-Holland (1998 - 2004)

  Publications

  Invited Talks:

  • ``Combinatorial Designs and Code Synchronization'', NATO Advanced Study Institute "New Challenges in Digital Communications", Vlora, Abania, May 2008.
  • ``Combinatorial Designs and Code Synchronization'', UNAM, Mexico City, May 2007, Fulbright Senior Specialist Program # 2211.
  • ``Symmetric Nets and Hamada's Conjecture'', University of Sofia, July 2006, Fulbright Senior Specialist Program #1868.
  • ``Steiner systems with two block sizes and group testing designs'', DIMACS Workshop on Combinatorial Group Testing, May 17 - 19, 2006.
  • ``Generalized Hadamard matrices and Hamada's Conjecture'', Institute for Problems of Information Transmission, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, June 2005.
  • ``Conflict-avoiding codes and cyclic triple systems'', International Conference on Designs of Experiments: Theory and Applications, Memphis, May 13-15, 2005.
  • ``Difference Systems of Sets and Code Synchronization'', Conference on experimental design and analysis and related mathematical structures with applications, Ise, Japan, November 17-19, 2004.
  • ``Generalized Incidence Matrices and a Characterization of the Classical Designs'', University of Nagoya, Japan, November 22, 2004.
  • ``Linear Orthogonal Arrays and Affine Designs'', University of Tsukuba, Japan, November 25, 2004.
  • ``Symmetric nets and generalized Hadamard matrices over groups of order 4'', International Workshop on Combinatorics, Keio University, Yokohama, Japan, January 20-22, 2004.
  • ``Symmetric nets and generalized Hadamard matrices over groups of order 4'', International Symposium on Graphs, Designs, and Applications, Messina, Italy, September 30 - October 4, 2003.
  • ``MDS codes, n-arcs and complete designs, Workshop on Codes and Designs, Yamagata, Japan, 10 August, 2003.
  • ``Error-correcting codes, graphs and designs'', University of Wales, Aberystwyth, UK, March 6, 2003.
  • ''Error-Correcting Codes and Generalized Weighing Matrices'', MCCCC16, Carbondale, November 7-9, 2002.
  • ``Formulas for Steiner triple and quadruple systems of low rank'', 4th Shanghai Combinatorics Conference, May 24-28, 2002, Shanghai, China.
  • ``Perfect codes, MDS codes, and a characterization of the classical designs'', Institute for Problems of Information Transmission, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, March 5, 2002.
  • ``A formula for Steiner triple and quadruple systems of low rank'', Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, March 6, 2002.
  • ``A formula for Steiner triple and quadruple systems'', Finite Geometries, Oberwolfach, Germany, December 2001.
  • ``Perfect codes and generalized balanced weighing matrices'', Tutte Seminar, University of Waterloo, October 19, 2001.
  • The Second Lethbridge Workshop on Designs, Codes, Cryptography and Graph Theory, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, Alberta July 9 - 14, 2001: ``Applications of combinatorial designs in digital communication''.
  • DISCRETE MATHEMATICS AND ITS INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, Capri, Italy, June 7-10, 2001, ``Applications of combinatorial designs in digital communication''.
  • The University of Wales, UK, ``Quasi-symmetric designs and codes'', February 9, 2001.
  • Emerging Applications of Combinatorial Design, MSRI Berkeley, November 5-10, 2000; ``Applications of combinatorial designs in digital communication ''.
  • Com^2MaC Conference on Association Schemes, Codes and Designs, Postech, Pohang, Korea, July 3-7, 2000. ``A mass formula for Steiner triple systems STS(2^n-1) of 2-rank 2^n -n''.
  • The 25th Ohio-Denison University Mathematics Conference, May 18-21, 2000, ``A mass formula for Steiner triple systems STS(2^n-1) of 2-rank 2^n -n''.
  • Southern Illinois University, April 7, 2000. ``A mass formula for Steiner triple systems STS(2^n-1) of 2-rank 2^n -n''.
  • Brigham Young University, ``Error-correcting codes and combinatorial designs''. October 4, 1999.
  • Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan, Workshop ``Algebraic Coding Theory and Combinatorial Designs'', September 6-10, 1999, ``Optimal codes and designs''.
  • Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan, Workshop ``Algebraic Coding Theory and Combinatorial Designs'', September 6-10, 1999, ``Perfect codes and a characterization of the classical designs''.
  • Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Kyoto University, Japan, Workshop ``Algebraic Coding Theory and Combinatorial Designs'', September 6-10, 1999, ``Unital designs and codes''.
  • University of Kiel, Germany, June 1999, ``Codes and Unitals''.
  • Coding, Cryptography and Computer Security Workshop, University of Lethbridge, Canada, August 1998, main speaker on Coding Theory.
  • IMA Workshop ``Coding and Cryptography'', Minneapolis, ``Linear perfect codes and a characterization of the classical designs'', July 1998.
  • University of Essen, Germany, ``Codes and graphs'', June 1998.
  • University of Duisburg, Germany, ``Codes and graphs'', June 1998.
  • XXIV International Summer School ``Applications of Mathematics in Industry'', Sozopol, Bulgaria, ``Quantum error-correcting codes'', June 1998.
  • University of Kiel, Germany, ``Linear perfect codes and a characterization of the classical designs'', May 1998.
  • University of Augsburg, Germany, ``Codes and graphs'', May 1998.
  • Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, ``Linear perfect codes and a characterization of the classical designs'', April 1998.
  • University of Linkoping, Sweden, ``Codes and graphs '', April 1998.
  • University of Turku, Finland, ``Codes and graphs'', April 1998.
  • Mathematical Institute Oberwolfach, Germany, ``Linear perfect codes and a characterization of the classical designs'', March 1998.
  • University of Delaware, ``Enumeration of Affine Designs'', November 1997.
  • AT&T Research Labs, ``Graphs and Codes'', November 1997.
  • International Conference on Combinatorics, Information Theory and Statistics, Portland - Maine, July 1997, ``Partial geometries and Steiner Designs''.
  • Workshop in Cryptography and Coding Theory, Linclon, June 1997, ``Strongly regular graphs and codes''.
  • International Conference Transversal Designs and Orthogonal Arrays , Waterloo, April 1997, ``Enumeration of affine designs''.
  • Eleventh Midwestern Conference on Combinatorics, Cryptography, and Computing, Las Vegas, October 1996, ``Codes and Designs: Some Recent Results''.
  • Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, ``Partial Geometries and Designs'', May 1996.
  • Tilburg University, The Netherlands, ``Error-correcting codes and combinatorial designs'', May 1996.
  • AMS-Benelux Congress, ``Difference sets and Linear Codes'', May 1996.
  • Wright State University, ``Linear Codes and Difference Sets'', February 1996.
  • California Institute of Technology, ``Codes and Difference Sets'', November 1995.
  • Clemson University, ``Strongly regular graphs and optimal codes'', October 1995.
  • Queen Marry and Westfield College, London, ``SDP designs'', June 1995.
  • Royal Holloway College, London, ``Codes and Designs'', June 1995.
  • University of Wales, ``Quasi-symmetric designs'', June 1995.
  • Bose Memorial Conference, Fort Collins, Colorado, June 1995, ``Strongly Regular Graphs and Codes''.
  • Oberwolfach Conference ``Designs and Codes'', April 1994.
  • Mathematics Colloquium, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, May 1994.
  • Combinatorial Theory Seminar, Concordia University, Montreal, June 1993.
  • International Conference on Difference Sets, Ohio, May 1993.
  • University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Group Theory Seminar, April 1993.
  • AMS Special Session ``Finite Geometry'', Bethlehem, April 1992.
  • AMS Special Session ``Codes and Designs'', Baltimore, January 1992.
  • Central Michigan University, Mathematics Colloquium, April 1992.
  • University of Lincoln-Nebraska Colloquium, March 1991.
  • University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Mathematics Colloquium, February 1991.
  • University of Loyola, Chicago, Mathematics Colloquium, January 1991.
  • International Conference ``Finite Geometries and Designs'', Isle of Thorns, England, July 1990.
  • Oberwolfach,``Codes and Designs'', April 1990.
  • University of Kiel,Germany. December 1989.
  • Free University, West Berlin, November 1989.
  • Institute of Mathematics, Academy of Sciences, East Berlin, November 1989.
  • University of Tubingen, Germany, October 1989.
  • University of Gent, Belgium, June 1989.
  • Munich Technological University, Germany, November 1988.
  • University of Gent, Belgium, June 1987.
  • University of Rome, Italy, May 1987.
  • University of Naples, Italy, May 1987.
  • University of Lincoln-Nebraska, October 1986.
  • University of Illinois at Chicago, October 1986.
  • Long Island University, October 1986.
  • International Conference ``Finite Geometries and Designs'', Deinze, Belgium 1986.
  • Oberwolfach, ``Finite Geometries'', May 1985.
  • Second International Conference on Finite Geometries, Hans Sur Les, Belgium, June 1979.

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