Kevin Zhou

Hi! I am a postdoctoral researcher with the Research Center for Mathematical Trust in Software and Systems, led by Prof. Ichiro Hasuo, at the National Institute for Informatics (NII) in Tokyo, Japan.

I received my PhD in Pure Mathematics from the Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where I was advised by James Freitag. My thesis was titled "Model Theory and AI: Results in Query Learning of Automata and Weighted Model Counting".

You can reach me at kevinzhou [at] nii.ac.jp.
My CV is available here: CV

Research

My current research focus is in formal methods and automated verification. Formerly, I worked on connections between model theory, finite combinatorics, and AI.

Papers

1. Query learning bounds for advice and nominal automata. ATVA 2024. [conference] [arXiv]

Fellowships & Funding

In Spring 2022, I was a UIC NSF TRIPODS Graduate Fellow.
In Summer 2019, I was a UIC NSF RTG Pre-doctoral Fellow.

Teaching

At UIC, I have been an Instructor for the following courses:

• MATH 294 Emerging Scholars Workshop for MATH 330 (Abstract Algebra I) (about the ESP program at UIC)
• MATH 294 Emerging Scholars Workshop for MATH 215 (Introduction to Advanced Mathematics)
• MATH 179 Emerging Scholars Workshop for Calculus I
• MATH 090 Intermediate Algebra
• Summer Enrichment Workshop in Mathematics - MATH 090

At UIC, I have been a TA for the following courses:

• MATH 090 Intermediate Algebra
• MATH 110 College Algebra
• MATH 125 Elementary Linear Algebra
• MATH 180 Calculus I
• MCS 260 Introduction to Computer Science

I won a Graduate Student Teaching Award for the academic year 2023-2024!

In Spring 2024, I was a mentor for the Directed Reading Program at UIC, a mentorship program that pairs undergraduate students with graduate student mentors working on a semester-long reading project.

In Fall 2022, I was a TA for the Preliminary Arizona Winter School on Heights and Model Theory.

Outside of teaching at the undergraduate and graduate level, I love teaching fun and interesting math topics to middle and high school students. Some opportunities I've had for this include:

• Math Circles of Chicago, one of many math circles around globe, which provides free after-school programs for 5-12th graders across Chicago, and
• the Young Scholars Program at UIC, a free summer day camp for high schoolers in the Chicagoland area.

During my time as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University, I was a TA for:

• 15-251 Great Theoretical Ideas in Computer Science
• 21-127 Concepts of Mathematics

Other work

I was a co-organizer for the 23rd Graduate Student Conference in Logic that took place on April 15-16, 2023 at UIC.

I've worked on a variety of research projects in the past unrelated to my current mathematical research. Code for some of these projects can be found on my GitHub.

• In Summer 2023, I participated in G-RIPS Sendai, where I worked on a projected titled "Automated negotiation for supply chain management", and also served as team lead. Our team explored reinforcement learning methods for automated negotiation in the Supply Chain Management League competition. (repo)
• In Summer 2017, I worked on a project developing a simulation testbed for cascading failures in power systems. (repo)
• In Summer 2016, I was a Software Engineering Intern at Baidu USA as part of Baidu Security X-Lab. I worked on developing data visualization tools for software security researchers.

Miscellany

Outside of mathematics, I enjoy making music, reading, watching anime, playing video games, and exercising (usually some combination of weightlifting, running, and volleyball).
I was a covenant member of Church of the Beloved from 2019 to 2024, where I also served on staff part-time as Production Manager from 2021 to 2024. From 2015 to 2018, I was a member of Pittsburgh Chinese Church.
I'm proficient in Mandarin Chinese and am learning Japanese (currently around N5~N4 level).