Research Scientist, Mathematical Application Research Team, Division of Applied Mathematical Science, RIKEN Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS)
Taketo Sano
Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences
- Research Fields
- Low-Dimensional Topology, Knot Theory
- Appointment History
- 2022/04/01 - 2025/03/31Special Postdoctoral Researcher, RIKEN Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences Program (iTHEMS)
- 2025/04/01 - Research Scientist, Mathematical Application Research Team, Division of Applied Mathematical Science, RIKEN Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences (iTHEMS)
- Related Website
- Taketo Sano's personal website
Self-introduction
My name is Taketo Sano. I am a mathematician specializing in low-dimensional topology and knot theory. I have been a Research Scientist in the Mathematical Application Research Team of iTHEMS since 2025. I joined iTHEMS in 2022 as a Special Postdoctoral Researcher, after receiving my Ph.D. in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Tokyo. Before entering graduate school, I worked as a software engineer from 2007 to 2016.
Since the beginning of my research career, I have been focusing on Khovanov homology theory, introduced by M. Khovanov in 2000 as a categorification of the Jones polynomial. Categorification is the process of lifting a numerical quantity into an (algebraic) category, which reveals deeper structures of the objects under study and uncovers relationships between them that are not visible at the numerical level.
A distinctive feature of Khovanov homology is that it is defined in a combinatorial way, which makes algorithmic computation feasible. By integrating computational methods into the study of low-dimensional topology, I aim to deepen our understanding of knots and low-dimensional manifolds, and in particular, to explore the mysteries of four-dimensional manifolds.
Related Events
iTHEMS x academist Online Event "World of Mathematical Sciences 2024"
April 21 (Sun) at 10:00 - 15:30, 2024 Special Lecture
Khovanov homology theory - an introduction to categorification
May 13 (Fri) at 14:00 - 16:30, 2022 Seminar iTHEMS Math Seminar
