The University of Toronto attracts the best and brightest scholars from around the world. Dr. Valentin Blomer is an outstanding example, having recently won a prestigious 2008 Sloan Research Fellowship. Blomer is one of only two Canadian recipients, in the company of scholars at Harvard , Princeton, and MIT. Thirty-five Sloan Fellows have been honoured with a Nobel Prize later in their careers.

Blomer came to U of T from Stuttgart, Germany, as a post-doctoral fellow in mathematics. At the age of 16 he developed an interest in what would become his specialty: analytic number theory, the branch of mathematics that examines arithmetic structures. One example posed by analytic number theorists is what integers can be written as a sum of two squares. The theorist takes all possible sums, examining what integers can be represented this way. Blomer explains that the question is easy to pose, but the solution is difficult, often with machinery involved.

One practical application of analytic number theory is how to hide information, the study of cryptography. Various aspects of bank security, computer passwords, and security of ATM cards depend on arithmetic functions that are easy to “lock,” but have an inverse that are extremely difficult to solve.

Blomer’s research focuses on theory as opposed to practical application. Specifically, he researches quadratic forms and L-functions. His work in this area has garnered significant attention, leading to his nomination by U of T for a Sloan Research Fellowship.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, based in New York, developed their program to support fundamental research by young career scientists. Awards were granted to applicants that demonstrated “the most outstanding promise of making fundamental contributions to new knowledge.” Candidates must hold a PhD in their respective field, but must be no more than six years from completion of that PhD This year, the foundation awarded 118 fellowships to scholars at 64 recognized institutions in the United States and Canada. Fellowships were awarded in seven specified fields of science: chemistry, computational and evolutionary molecular biology, computer science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience, and physics.

“[The award] encourages me to continue as I do. It’s a prestigious award and it feels good,” said Blomer.

Each recipient is awarded $50,000 U.S. that must be used over a two-year period. A beneficial aspect of the Sloan Fellowships is their flexibility. Blomer can allocate the funds to any aspect of his research, such as hiring post-doctorates and graduate students, professional travel, and maintenance of an up-to-date library.

This award demonstrates that Blomer is well on his way to making a fundamental contribution to mathematics. When asked if he has any advice for aspiring mathematicians, he offers, “We tend to be good at what we enjoy. Find something that you feel is exciting and pursue it.”