From China to Brazil, Zhifei Yan defends thesis this Monday (26)

A graduate in Economics and Statistics from Sichuan University, in the Chinese province of Chengdu, Zhifei Yan, 28, found in IMPA the ideal environment to dedicate himself to mathematics in a deep and rigorous way. At the institute, he completed his master's degree and is now preparing to defend his doctoral thesis, “Spanning Structures in Dense and Random Graphs”. Supervised by IMPA researcher Robert Morris, Yan will present his research this Monday (26), at 2 pm, in room 232 of the institute, with live broadcast on IMPA's YouTube channel.

“My research focuses primarily on the area of graph theory, with a special emphasis on random graphs and colorings. One of the main focuses of the thesis is to understand when certain large structures—such as spanning subgraphs or specific colorings—tend to exist in dense or random graphs. Although these problems may seem abstract, they are closely linked to practical applications such as network design, data clustering, and algorithm development,” explained the doctoral candidate.

Yan also mentions that it was at IMPA where he truly learned to think mathematically. “The institute provided me with a rigorous and comprehensive foundation in mathematics, as well as exposure to various advanced topics, which led me to my current research in probabilistic and extremal combinatorics. The environment is highly stimulating, with constant opportunities for interaction with leading researchers and international visitors.”

The atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro also contributed to his personal development. Having lived in Rio since 2019, he describes the city as vibrant and welcoming, with a rich culture and a strong sense of community. “The people here are incredibly warm and friendly. The natural beauty, the beaches, the mountains, and the climate create a very lively lifestyle. The food is great, and the pace of life in Rio is something I've learned to appreciate. Living in Brazil has broadened my perspective and brought balance between intense academic work and the richness of everyday life,” he says.

With the same enthusiasm that motivated him to leave China to study in Brazil, Yan is now preparing for a new stage: a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in South Korea. There, he intends to continue his research in combinatorics, focusing on probabilistic and structural problems in graph theory, as well as exploring interactions between pure mathematics and computer science.