Mathematical Sciences: Structural and Algorithmic Aspects ofGraph Minors

该奖项支持托马斯教授的研究工作 在组合学中。 具体来说，这项工作的大部分将是 集中在图的未成年人的区域。 一个图是 另一个，如果第一个可以从一个子图的 其次是收缩边缘。 图论的这一领域是 可以说是过去十年中最重要的战神之一。 教授托马斯也将在多项式领域的工作 算法和数学逻辑。 该研究是在组合学的一般领域。 组合数学试图找到有效的方法来研究如何 可以组织离散的集合。 离散的行为 系统对于现代通信是极其重要的。 为 例如，大型网络的设计，如电话系统， 计算机科学中的算法设计都涉及到 离散的物体，这就利用了组合研究。

This award supports the research of Professor Thomas to work in combinatorics. Specifically, much of this work will be centered in the area of graph minors. A graph is a minor of another if the first can be obtained from a subgraph of the second by contracting edges. This area of graph theory is arguably one of the most signifcant ares in the past decade. Professor Thomas will also work in the areas of polynomial algorithms and mathematical logic. The research is in the general area of combinatorics. Combinatorics attempts to find efficient methods to study how discrete collections can be organized. The behavior of discrete systems is extremely important to modern communications. For example, the design of large networks, as in telephone systems, and the design of algorithms in computer science all deal with discrete objects, and this makes use of combinatorial research.