Hello, I’m Fiona Blackett.
I’m a mathematics PhD student at the University of Strathclyde, advised by Dalton Sakthivadivel and Jules Hedges. I’m broadly interested in applying homotopy theory to mathematical physics, mostly from the perspective of cohesive $(\infty,1)$-topoi and differential cohomology, as well as $A_\infty$ and other homotopical structures in Floer homology and mirror symmetry.
I am employed & funded by VERSES AI as a researcher in the mathematics theory group, where I am currently working on active inference, topological data analysis, and applying statistical physics to machine learning.
I was previously in information security, and I still maintain some interest in formal verification and formal methods in software. This is mostly in the form of category theory intersecting type theory, with the MSP group at the University of Strathclyde.
In my time outside mathematics I enjoy hiking, cycling, and American Sign Language.
Talks
- The Eilenberg-Steenrod Axioms and Generalised (Co)homology Theory at Adams Blue Book seminar with University of Chicago
- Topological Quantum Field Theories and Frobenius Algebras at CU Boulder SPS Seminar
- Differential/Persistent Cohomology and Cohesive Topos Theory at VERSES AI Research Summit
Conferences
- Homotopical Methods in Fixed Point Theory - CU Boulder - July 11, 2022
- Theoretical Advanced Study Institute in Particle Theory - CU Boulder - June 5, 2023
- Geometry and Topology meet Data Analysis and Machine Learning - Northeastern University - June 8, 2023
- Applied Category Theory - University of Maryland - July 31st, 2023
- VERSES AI Research Summit - Brocket Hall, UK - Oct 9th, 2023
Education
- University of Strathclyde, PhD Student - Current
- University of Colorado Boulder, Math BA, incomplete - August 2021 to December 2022