Christopher Rasmussen

Rasmussen conducts research in arithmetic geometry and computational number theory. He is actively involved in mathematics training for elementary school teachers (K-8) through the Intel Math Program.

Rasmussen's work on the arithmetic of abelian varieties studies the absolute Galois group through its representation on geometric objects, such as the outer automorphism group of the projective line minus three points. His collaboration with Akio Tamagawa (RIMS, Kyoto University) seeks to demonstrate a natural scarcity among abelian varieties whose Galois representations have constrained image.

His work in computational number theory, joint with Beth Malmskog (Colorado College), has determined a complete list of Picard curves over the rational numbers with good reduction away from 3. With Malmskog and other mathematicians, Rasmussen has implemented algorithms for the solution of S-unit equations over number fields in the free and open-source software platform, SageMath. (Follow SageTrac #22148 for more information.)

For several years, Rasmussen has taught in the Intel Math Program, designed to deepen the content knowledge of K-8 mathematics teachers. Previously under the auspices of the Wesleyan Project to Increase Mastery in Mathematics and Science, and currently administered by the K-8 Math Institute at Central Connecticut State University, the program provides an intense professional development course for teachers and mathematics coaches from various districts across Connecticut. In addition to his role as an instructor for Connecticut cohort, Rasmussen has also assisted the Intel Math Program with the review and revision of its instructional materials.

Christopher Rasmussen was born in Morgantown, West Virginia, and earned his PhD in Mathematics at the University of Arizona under Minhyong Kim. He has held post-doctoral appointments at William Marshall Rice University in Houston, Texas and at the Research Institute for the Mathematical Sciences in Kyoto, Japan.