Aditya Khanna

Can you tell us about your research area and your thesis work?

My research is in the field of algebraic combinatorics. My advisor is Nick Loehr. The title of my thesis is “Combinatorics of Transition Matrices of Symmetric and Polysymmetric Functions.”

What aspects of mathematical communication and presenting your work are most meaningful to you?

I have been honored to receive numerous invitations to talk at seminars, sectionals, colloquia, and other events. I was also invited as a panelist for a “How to give a good talk?” session by AWM. Academic and public communication of mathematics is very important to me, and I am glad to have been given multiple opportunities to talk about the things I like.

What leadership or service roles have you enjoyed being involved in during graduate school?

The administrative positions that I have enjoyed the most include being a Senior Graduate Teaching Assistant for the Math department in 2024–25 and being a co-organizer for the Graduate Online Combinatorics Colloquium. I organized the Graduate Student Seminar last Fall, am currently a moderator of the Combinatorics Discord server which has over 700+ researchers, and am also a board member of the Math department Graduate Student Organization.

What advice would you give to current or incoming graduate students?

The one big advice I have for graduate students is to cultivate a helpful and comfortable friend group. Be there for people, listen to them, and do little (or big!) activities together. This sense of community is important when it comes to maintaining your mental health in graduate school. I am really fortunate to have had immense support and help from my friends.

The one small advice I have for graduate students is to drink water and consume fiber regularly. Your body will thank you!

Can you share a memorable experience or turning point from your research journey?

I am amazed by how serendipitously I found my thesis project. I had, what I thought at the time, an inconsequential conversation at a random conference with a person whose work remotely intersected mine. Little did I know that that conversation would blossom into a full-fledged research program under the keen eye of my supervisor.

The advice here is to travel to multiple conferences and interact with as many people as possible. This comes back to the same advice of building a community, but within the specific academic space of your interest.

What are your plans after graduation?

I will be joining UW Milwaukee as a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Fall!

What keeps you happy and helps you recharge outside of math?

I love playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with my friends, and KO punching them with Little Mac. Feel free to hit me up if you want to play Smash with me!

Are there any books, hobbies, or interests that have had a lasting impact on you?

If you have time this summer, please read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I recommend the translation by Katherine Woods. It has taught me a lot about life, and I think it’s an instruction manual for adults disguised as a children’s book. My favorite quote, “What is essential is invisible to the eye,” comes from there.

Where can people learn more about your work or connect with your content online?

I have an academic website: Aditya Khanna Academic Website

I also have a YouTube channel: NumeroDivergence YouTube Channel

One of my early videos talks about how to make your first semester in graduate school better. I am really proud of the “Bag in a bag in a bag...” video, and you should give that one a watch. Obligatory “like, share, and subscribe!”