Curriculum Vitae

Peter Dragnev
Department of Mathematical Sciences
Indiana-Purdue University
2101 E. Coliseum Blvd.
 
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
Tel: (260) 481-6382
E-mail: dragnevp@ipfw.edu

Education:

Ph.D. – 1997 (mathematics) Department of Mathematics, University of South Florida,
MS – 1989, Department of Mathematics, Sofia University, Sofia, Bulgaria.
BS – 1987, Department of Mathematics, Sofia State University, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Employment Experience:

08/11 – present: Purdue Speaker of the IPFW Senate, Fort Wayne, IN.
07/11 – present: Interim Chair, Department of Mathematical Sciences, IPFW, Fort Wayne, IN.
07/11 – present: Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, IPFW, Fort Wayne, IN.
08/03 – 06/11: Associate Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, IPFW, Fort Wayne, IN.
07/98 – 08/03: Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, IPFW, Fort Wayne, IN.
08/97 – 06/97: Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematical Sciences, IPFW, Fort Wayne, IN.
08/92 – 08/97: Teaching Assistant, Department of Mathematics, University of South Florida, Tampa.
08/90 – 08/92: Assistant, Department of Mathematics, Plovdiv University, Bulgaria.

Research Interests:

Real and Complex Analysis; Approximation Theory; Potential Theory; Orthogonal Polynomials;
Minimal energy problems; Optimal configurations on the sphere; Logarithmic and Riesz potential; Asymptotics of orthogonal polynomials; Lebesgue function;
Mathematics Subject Classification Numbers: 26, 31, 33, 41, 43

Academic Activities:

Member of AMS, MAA, and Sigma Xi Research Society.
IPFW Chapter President of Sigma Xi Research Society for 2004, 2007.
Mini-Symposium Organizer, 12th International Conference in Approximation Theory, San Antonio, TX – March, 2007

Research Grants:

PRF Summer Research Award – 2003, PU
    "Geometry of Polynomials and Electrostatics"
PRF Summer Research Award – 2001, PU
    "The Extremal Support in the Presence of External Field"
IPFW Summer Research Grant – 2000, IPFW
    "Minimal Discrete Energy on Closed Surfaces"
IPFW Summer Research Grant – 1999, IPFW
    "Constrained energy problem and electrostatics of semiconductors"

Awards:

 

Research in Pairs – Oberwolfach Mathematics Institute, Germany, May 2009

Leibniz Fellow Guest Researcher – Oberwolfach Mathematics Institute, Germany, October 2008

IPFW Research Fellow – Spring 2004
PRF Pippert Science Research Scholar – 2003
Researcher of the Year Award – 2002, IPFW Sigma Xi Chapter

Travel Grants:

NSF Supplemental Travel Grant – 2001, 2007, NSF
Austrian  Science Foundation – 2008, Technical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
PRF International Travel Grant – 2001, 2010, Purdue University
IU Overseas Conference Fund Grant – 1999, 2007, 2009, Indiana University
NATO Advanced Study Institute Local Grant – 2000, NATO ASI Organizing committee
FoCM Organizing Committee Local Grant – 1999, City University of Hong Kong
IPFW International Supplemental Travel Grant – 1999, 2001, 2007, 2009 IPFW   

Research papers:

1.        J. S. Brauchart, P. D. Dragnev, E. B. Saff, and C. E. van de Woestijne, Mysterious sequences of polynomials arising from electrostatics problem on the sphere, to appear in Acta Math. Hungarica (2011)

2.        D. Benko, S. B. Damelin, and P. D. Dragnev, On supports of equilibrium measures with concave signed equilibria, to appear in J. Comput. Anal. Appl. (2011)

3.        Benko and P. D. Dragnev, On Ping pong balayage and convexity of equilibrium measures, to appear in Constr. Approx. (2011)

4.        D. Benko, P. D. Dragnev, and V. Totik, Convexity of harmonic densities, to appear in Revista Math. Iberoamer. (2011)

5.        Peter Dragnev and Erwin Mina-Diaz, On a series representation for Carleman Orthogonal Polynomials, Proc. AMS, 138 (2010), 4271-4279.

6.        Peter Dragnev and Erwin Mina-Diaz, Asymptotic Behavior and Zero Distribution of Carleman Orthogonal Polynomials, J. Approx. Theory, 162 (11), 1982-2003.

7.        J. S. Brauchart, P. D. Dragnev, and E. B. Saff, Riesz extremal measures on the sphere for axis-supported external fields – JMAA, 356, no. 2, (2009), 769-792.

8.        J. S. Brauchart, P. D. Dragnev, and E. B. Saff, Minimal Riesz energy on the sphere for axis-supported external fields. Oberwolfach Preprint Series, OWP 2009-04 (2009), 1-44.

9.        P. D. Dragnev, J. S. Brauchart, and E. B. Saff, On an energy problem with Riesz external field, Oberwolfach reports, Volume 4, Issue 2 (2007), 1042-1044.

10.     P. D. Dragnev and E. B. Saff, Riesz spherical potentials with external fields and minimal energy points separation, Potential Anal. 26 (2007), 139-162.

11.     D. Benko, S. B. Damelin and P. D. Dragnev, On the support of the equilibrium measure for arcs of the unit circle and for real intervals, ETNA 25 (2006), 27-40.

12.     P. D. Dragnev, D. A. Legg, and D. W. Townsend, Polynomial Approximation of the Checkmark Function, in Advances in Constructive Approximation, M. Neamtu and E. B. Saff (edts), (2004), 149-164.

13.     P. D. Dragnev, On the Separation of Logarithmic Points on the Sphere, in Approximation Theory X: Abstract and Classical Analysis, Charles Chui, Larry L. Schumaker, and Joachim Stoeckler, (eds.), (2002), 137-144.

14.     P. D. Dragnev, D. A. Legg, and D. W. Townsend, Discrete Logarithmic Energy on the Sphere, Pacific J. Math. 207, no. 2 (2002), 345-358.

15.     S. B. Damelin, P. D. Dragnev, and A. B. J. Kuijlaars The support of the equilibrium measure for a class of non-convex external fields on a finite interval, Pacific J. of Math. 199, no. 2 (2001), 303-320.

16.     D. Coroian and P. D. Dragnev, Constrained Leja points and numerical solution of the constrained energy problem, J. Comp. and Appl. Math. 131, no. 1-2 (2001), 427-444.

17.     P. D. Dragnev and E. B. Saff, A problem in Potential theory and zero asymptotics of Krawtchouk polynomials, J. Approx. Theory 102, (2000), 120-140.

18.     A.B.J. Kuijlaars and P. D. Dragnev, Equilibrium problems associated with fast decreasing polynomials, Proceedings of Amer. Math. Soc. 127, no. 4 (1999), 1065-1074.

19.     P. D. Dragnev, D. A. Legg and D. W. Townsend, Generalized Bernstein-Erdos Conjecture, Approximation theory IX, Volume 1: Theoretical aspects, Charles K. Chui and Larry Schumaker (eds.), (1998), 119-126.

20.     P. D. Dragnev and E. B. Saff, Constrained energy problems with applications to orthogonal polynomials of a discrete variable, Journal Anal. Math., 72 (1997), 223-259.

21.     P. D. Dragnev and E. B. Saff, Open problems in Approximation theory, Tampa – 96, East Journal of Approx. 2, no. 4 (1996), 499-517.

 

Invited Presentations:

 

International Symposium in Approximation Theory, Nashville, TN – May, 2011

A fascinating polynomial sequence arising from an electrostatics problem on the sphere – Orthogonal Polynomials Mini-symposium

New Perspectives in Univariate and Multivariate Orthogonal Polynomials, BIRS, Banff, Canada – October, 2010

“Ping pong balayage and convexity of equilibrium measures

Troy University Colloquium, Troy, AL November 3, 2010

Electrons, Buckyballs, and Orifices: Nature's Way of Minimizing Energy

University of South Alabama Colloquium, Mobile, AL October 7, 2010

Electrons, Buckyballs, and Orifices: Nature's Way of Minimizing Energy

Math Circle, Mobile, AL – October 4, 2010

Famous Sequences of Numbers: The Untold Story of Difference Equations

University of South Florida, Tampa, FL October 1, 2010

Ping pong balayage and convexity of Riesz and logarithmic equilibrium measures

University of South Alabama Mobile, AL  September 30, 2010

Discrete orthogonal polynomials on the real line and constrained energy problem

University of South Alabama Mobile, AL  September 29, 2010

Orthogonal polynomials on the real line and external field problem

University of North Florida Colloquium, Jacksonville, FL September 24, 2010

Ping pong balayage and convexity of equilibrium measures

University of South Alabama Mobile, AL  September 23, 2010

On a classical theorem of potential theory in the complex plane – II

University of South Alabama Mobile, AL  September 22, 2010

On a discrete Zolotarev problem with applications to the Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) method.

University of South Alabama Mobile, AL  September 21, 2010

On a classical theorem of potential theory in the complex plane – I

University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL September 14, 2010

Generalization of Bernstein-Erdos conjecture and the Lebesgue function

University of South Alabama Colloquium, Mobile, AL September 16, 2010

Minimal energy problems and applications: Ping pong balayage and convexity of equilibrium measures

University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL September 14, 2010

Generalization of Bernstein-Erdos conjecture and the Lebesgue function

University of Mississippi Colloquium, Oxford, MS – September 10, 2010

Ping pong balayage and convexity of equilibrium measures

International Conference – Constructive Theory of Functions, Sozopol, Bulgaria June, 2010

"The asymptotic behavior of Carleman orthogonal polynomials"

International Conference – Optimal Configurations on the Sphere and Other Manifolds, Nashville, TN – May, 2010

"Separation results for optimal Riesz energy points on the sphere and axis-supported external fields"

13th International Conference in Approximation Theory, San Antonio, TX – March, 2010

"The asymptotic behavior of Carleman orthogonal polynomials" – Frontiers in Orthogonal Polynomials Mini-symposium

Computational Methods and Function Theory 2009, Ankara, Turkey – June, 2009
" Axis-supported External Fields on the Sphere"
Western Kentucky University Math Symposium, Bowling Green, KY – October, 2008

School Districts on Mars, Fuel Depots on Jupiter, Inimical Dictators on Neptune?! Or How to Arrange Points on the Sphere”

Technical University Colloquium, Graz, Austria – October, 2008

”Iterative balayage algorithm - applications to Riesz and logarithmic potentials”

University of South Alabama Math Circle, Mobile, AL – October, 2008

School Districts on Mars, Fuel Depots on Jupiter, Inimical Dictators on Neptune?! Or How to Arrange Points on the Sphere”

University of Mississippi Colloquium, Oxford, MS – October, 2008

“Electrons, Buckyballs, and Orifices: Nature’s Way of Minimizing Energy”

Western Kentucky University Colloquium, Bowling Green, KY – January, 2008

“Balayage Iteration and Minimal Energy Problems”

Modern Approaches in Asymptotics of Polynomials, BIRS, Banff, Canada – November, 2007

“Iterative Balayage Techniques with Applications to Riesz and Logarithmic Potentials”

Geometric Measure Theoretic Approaches to Potentials on Fractals and Manifolds, Oberwolfach Mathematics Institute, Germany – April, 2007 "Minimal Energy Problems with Riesz External Fields and Applications"

12th International Conference in Approximation Theory, San Antonio, TX – March, 2007

"On an Energy Problem with Riesz External Field"

Sofia University Colloquium, Sofia, Bulgaria – June, 2006

“Riesz energy points distribution”

Western Kentucky University Colloquium, Bowling Green, KY – April, 2006

“Minimal Energy Points on the Sphere”

Special Session, 2005 AMS Sectional Meeting, Bowling Green, KY – March, 2005 

“Separation of minimal s-energy points on the sphere”

Constructive Functions Tech-04, International Conference in Georgia Tech, Atlanta, GA – November, 2004

“Riesz spherical potentials with external fields and minimal energy points separation”

Special Session AMS National meeting, Phoenix, AZ – January, 2004

“On a class of classical polynomials, uniformly approximating the checkmark function”

Vanderbilt University Seminar, Nashville, TNOctober, 2003

"On a discrete Zolotarev problem with applications to the Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) method"

Troy University Colloquium, Troy, ALSeptember, 2003

“Minimal Arrangements on the Sphere”

Advances in Constructive Approximation 2003, Nashville, TN – May, 2003

"Polynomial Approximation of the Checkmark Function”

Sigma Xi Brown Bag talk, IPFW – December, 2002

"The Science of Spherical Arrangements - Fulerenes, Electrons, and Soccer Ball Designs

Constructive Function Theory 2002, Varna, Bulgaria – June, 2002

"Optimal Point Configurations on the Sphere”

AMS regional meeting -- Special Session, Chattanooga, TN – October, 2001
"Logarithmic Points on the Sphere"
Computational Methods and Function Theory 2001, Portugal – June, 2001
"Minimal Discrete Energy on the Sphere"
Texas A&M Colloquium – March, 2001
"The support of the equilibrium measure"
University of Houston Colloquium- Downtown – March, 2001
"Soccer ball design and energy problems"
Indiana-Purdue University – April, 2000, Pi Math Club
"Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics behind the Soccer Ball Design – Or How to Distribute Dictators on a Planet"
Plovdiv University Colloquium, Plovdiv, Bulgaria – March, 2000
"Minimal problems and their applications to orthogonal polynomials"
FoCM International Workshop on Minimal Energy Problems, Hong Kong – November, 1999
"Constrained energy problem and applications"
University of Akron Colloquium– September, 1998
"Constrained energy problem and discrete orthogonal polynomials"
Katolieke Universiteit Leuven Colloquium, Belgium – July, 1998
"Constrained Leja points and numerical solution of the constrained energy problem"
Ohio State University Seminar – November, 1997
"Constrained energy problem and zero asymptotics of discrete orthogonal polynomials"

Contributed Presentations:

11th International Conference in Approximation Theory, Gatlinburg, TN – May, 2004

"On a discrete Zolotarev problem and its applications to the Alternating Direction Implicit (ADI) method"

Sigma Xi National Meeting, Galveston, TX – November, 2002
"Spherical Arrangements with Minimal Energy”

10th International Conference in Approximation Theory, St. Louis, MO – March, 2001
"Discrete Logarithmic Energy on the Sphere"
NATO ASI and International Conference on Special Functions 2000, Tempe, AZ – June, 2000
"The support of the equilibrium measure for a class of external fields on a finite interval"
AMS regional meeting – Contributed Papers Session, Buffalo, NY – April, 1999
"Constrained Leja Points and Applications"
9th International Conference in Approximation Theory, Nashville, TN – January, 1998
"Generalized Bernstein-Erdos conjecture"