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Hello, I'm Max Mercer, and I love math. Let's connect! My email is mamerce1@asu.edu
I use math to understand how local, random interactions shape long-term global behavior. My research spans a wide range of social and biological phenomena, from modeling how diseases spread through populations and how plant species compete for space, to exploring the dynamics of human opinion, kindness, and knowledge transfer. I hold a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Arizona State University, where I worked with my excellent advisor, Dr. Nicolas Lanchier.
Degrees Earned
Applied Mathematics Ph.D.
Arizona State University 2025
Applied Mathematics M.A.
Arizona State University 2023
Applied Mathematics B.S.
Arizona State University 2021
Certifications
Master Class for Teaching Online, EdPlus
Seal of Bi-literacy in Spanish, AAPPL
Data Science Coursework
Visualization (PH125.2x), Harvard
Probability (PH125.3x), Harvard
Inference and Modeling (PH125.4x), Harvard
Scholarships & Awards
President's Award, Fall 2018-Spring 2022 - $40,000
Block Grant, Summer 2023 - $5,922
ARCS Scholar, Fall 2024-Spring 2025 - $8,500
Moeur Award, May 2022
Graduate Research Award, May 2025
Graduate Excellence Award, May 2025
Peer-reviewed articles:
Nicolas Lanchier and Max Mercer.
Durrett-Levin spatial model of allelopathy.
ALEA Lat. Am. J. Probab. Math. Stat. 21 (2024) 321-343. MR4710541.Lamia Belhadji, Nicolas Lanchier and Max Mercer.
The contact process with an asymptomatic state.
Stochastic Process. Appl. 176 (2024) 104417. MR4768390.Nicolas Lanchier and Max Mercer.
Limiting behavior of a kindness model.
Statist. Probab. Lett. 214 (2024) 110205.Nicolas Lanchier and Max Mercer.
Deffuant opinion dynamics with attraction and repulsion.
Electron. Commun. Probab. 29 (2024) no. 45, 12 pp.Jonas Köppl, Nicolas Lanchier and Max Mercer.
Survival and extinction for a contact process with a density-dependent birth rate.
Electron J. Probab. 30 (2025) no. 74, 18 pp. MR4904097.Nicolas Lanchier, Max Mercer and Hyunsik Yun.
Contact process for the spread of knowledge.
Math. Phys. Anal. Geom. 29 (2026) no. 1, 19 pp. MR5019057.
Articles in review:
Jonas Köppl, Nicolas Lanchier and Max Mercer.
Evolutionary games on the lattice: multitype contact process with density-dependent birth rates.
Available as arXiv:2412.19957.Nicolas Lanchier, Max Mercer and Hyunsik Yun.
Multitype contact process with sterile states.
Available as arXiv:2510.05397.
Special Projects
ARCS Poster Presentation - The Contact Process with an Asymptomatic State
This work was supervised by my wonderful professor Dr. Hala King at Arizona State University. We explored the usage of different numeral systems across the world and the implications of those numeral systems on calendars and other social constructions.
Android App: Simple Calorie
I wanted a simple calorie tracker app with no advertisements or cost, and thanks to MIT, I was able to make one! First, set your daily desired calorie goal and hit "new day".
If you eat, add the calories you ate in the "ATE: " text box and hit the first "LOG IT!" button.
If you exercise, add the calories in the "BURNED: " text box and hit the second "LOG IT!" button.
When you're ready to start a new day, just click "New Day" - No need to put in your daily calorie goal again, it will be saved after the first time (or to the default - 1500 - otherwise).
That's all! If you'd like to download the APK on your device, here is the link
MATLAB Projects Authored
Sudoku Generator
(Sudoku.mlx)
Fractal Generator
(ChaosGameFractalMaker.mlx)
Diffusion Visualizer
(DiffusionPDE.mlx)
Rule Of 72 Accuracy
(72test.mlx)
Teaching Experience
I have had the honor and privilege of serving as a Teaching Assistant at Arizona State University Tempe Campus for three years, and before that, serving as a lead mathematics tutor at the ASU West Campus. I have been an instructor of record for Calculus courses, and a teaching assistant for many graduate-level courses. In Fall 2025 I became an Assistant Teaching Professor for this wonderful school, and hope to empower my students with the joys of mathematics to improve their lives.
My kind and wonderful students gave me reviews on the official ASU survey. I believe that my students are the best possible source to ask about my teaching, so I have included their statements below.
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