Mathematical Sciences: Structural and Algorithmic Aspects ofGraph Minors

这个奖支持托马斯教授在组合学方面的研究。具体地说，这项工作的大部分将集中在图形未成年人的领域。一个图是另一个图的次图，如果第一个图可以通过缩边从第二个图的子图得到。图论的这个领域可以说是过去十年中最重要的领域之一。Thomas教授也将研究多项式算法和数理逻辑。这项研究是在组合学的一般领域。组合学试图找到有效的方法来研究如何组织离散集合。离散系统的行为对现代通信极为重要。例如，大型网络的设计，如电话系统，以及计算机科学中算法的设计都涉及离散对象，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.