Self-introduction: Yuya Murakami

My goal in life is to connect people through mathematics.

Although mathematics is an accumulation of truths, with each step of my research I feel ever more strongly that doing mathematics is an endeavor made possible by human connections.
For me, those connections are a true blessing.
When I look at completed joint papers, I often think, “I could not have done this alone,” and in those moments I renew my gratitude for the people I have met.
Through experiences like these, I naturally came to wish that I could connect people through mathematics.
Through research, education, and outreach, I work every day to help connect people and, through those connections, to create new value for each person involved.

My research aims are to understand the mysterious object called "quantum modular forms" and, through that lens, to deepen the ties among number theory, topology, mathematical physics, and representation theory.

Quantum modular forms, introduced around 2010, are still young and full of mysteries.
Their significance lies in their role as a bridge that can reveal deep structures linking these four fields.
Focusing on this bridge—quantum modular forms—I work day by day to elucidate the relationships among these areas.

As a number theorist, I cannot pursue this agenda alone.
Many of my results to date have grown from collaborations with researchers specializing in topology.
I will continue to build cross-disciplinary partnerships so that the work is meaningful for multiple communities.

This research objective is aligned with my broader life goal of connecting people through mathematics, and I am committed to both.

The environment at iTHEMS, where interaction with researchers from diverse disciplines is the norm, is ideal for achieving these goals. I am grateful for this setting and will continue to move this work forward.