Dustin Ross

Associate Professor

Department of Mathematics

San Francisco State University

Hi! And welcome to my little corner of the internet. My given name is Dustin, but most people call me Dusty, and I encourage you to do so. My pronouns are he/him/his.

As a research mathematician, I work on problems in algebraic geometry, often with a combinatorial flavor, sometimes with connections to theoretical physics. A few of the mathematical objects I am particularly interested in are moduli spaces of curves, tropical varieties, and matroids. More broadly, I am passionate about learning, teaching, mentoring, and creating mathematical spaces that are welcoming and supportive.

I received a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa (2003-2007), an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mathematics from Colorado State University (2007-2013), and I was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Michigan (2013-2016). Since 2016, I have been a professor of mathematics at San Francisco State University.

My professional activities have been partially supported by NSF research grants DMS-2302024 and DMS-2001439 and an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship DMS-1401873.

More about my work can be found throughout this webpage or on my Curriculum Vitae.

Contact

rossd at sfsu dot edu

Thornton Hall 941

San Francisco State University

San Francisco, California 94132, USA

Happenings

I help organize the Algebra, Geometry, and Combinatorics Seminar at SF State.

I serve on the WAGS Council, which carries out long-term planning for the Western Algebraic Geometry Symposium.

Federico's axioms

I find it helpful to ground my mathematical discourse and pedagogy in the axioms set forth by Federico Ardila in Todos Cuentan:

Mathematical potential is equally present among different groups, irrespective of geographic, demographic, and economic boundaries.
Everyone can have joyful, meaningful, and empowering mathematical experiences.
Mathematics is a powerful, malleable tool that can be shaped and used differently by various communities to serve their needs.
Every student deserves to be treated with dignity and respect.

Personal statement on AI usage

At this moment in time, I have decided to disengage and refrain from all professional use of AI (LLMs). There are many reasons for this. The two most important factors leading me to this decision are: (i) I have serious concerns about the moral and ethical standards of the companies that are leading the AI race, and (ii) My professional goals as a mathematician are centered around the advancement of human understanding, and it is my opinion that AI is far more likely to erode this purpose than it is to support it.

I acknowledge that (i) I make this decision from the privileged position of a tenured professor, and (ii) Mathematicians have many goals, and some of those goals are more aligned with AI usage than others.

My decision is personal, and I do not judge others for arriving at different conclusions.

California State University and OpenAI

I am strongly opposed to the California State University Administration's decision to continue funding OpenAI, with over $30M spent to date, and another $26M committed over the next two years. In my opinion, this decision is a betrayal of the students we serve and the taxpayers who trust the CSU to allocate their budget responsibly.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse