Recently, Dr. Pranabesh Das, assistant professor in Xavier University of Louisiana’s mathematics department, presented his research at the Southern Regional Number Theory Conference (SRNTC) at Louisiana State University (LSU). SRNTC is the largest conference in the southern region for number theory, one of the most significant mathematical branches. Dr. Das was proud to represent Xavier and showcase his research to numerous mathematicians across the country.

SRNTC unites researchers and students from various number theory branches and exposes them to related problems in the mathematics field. The conference also broadens interaction and communication for number theorists across the region, building a platform and creating opportunities to present research.

Xavier University of Louisiana, with its stellar reputation for graduating Black STEM majors, was excellently represented through Dr. Das. He received an invitation to participate in SRNTC and has previously given presentations at LSU.

“It was a great experience to represent the Xavier community. I had the opportunity to meet many people and showcase some of the work Xavier’s mathematics department is doing,” said Dr. Das. “I also spoke with another speaker who agreed to give a talk at Xavier in the future. The conference allowed me to discuss research and create possible collaborations, building a community with other mathematicians.”

Dr. Das shared that he greatly enjoyed his time during this year’s SRNTC as he was able to interact, learn, and discuss research alongside fellow mathematicians. His conference presentation was based off his prior research, “Rational solutions to the variants of Erdos-Selfridge superelliptic curves.” The research he has conducted supports his work at Xavier, and SRNTC was a great learning experience that granted him space to forge academic partnerships. The contributions of Xavier’s faculty not only advance student education, but impact and improve knowledge throughout the academic field.

In May, Dr. Das will be a speaker at University of Georgia’s Integers Conference, an international conference held to unite mathematicians, students, and others interested in number theory. He will also speak at University of New Orleans (UNO) American Mathematical Society (AMS) Math Talk to motivate undergraduate and graduate mathematics. He shared the importance of mathematics conferences and their contribution to education.

“Research is an integral part of our career. It's not possible all the time to keep track of what’s happening in the research world and what problems people are solving. Conferences grant us exposure and allow us to present our findings and learn from other related research,” he said. “It was interesting to build connections and share ideas with people who were interested in learning and seeing the application of my work. I was proud to fly Xavier’s colors high.”

Dr. Das’ passion for mathematics is exemplified through his academic participation. His efforts contribute to mathematics development, fosters education, and strengthens the mathematical understanding of others.