I am a sixth year graduate student at University of Washington, Seattle, working under Professor James Zhang. My main area of interest is non-commutative algebra, particularly its intersection with combinatorics. My current object of study is (locally) gentle algebras, a special class of path algebras with relations.
As an instructor and teaching assistant, my goal is to show students how interesting and fun math can be and to provide students with the support they need to succeed. I am always happy to answer questions, so don't hesitate to ask!
In my free time, I do fiber arts (i.e., knitting, crocheting, and spinning), which are complicated by the involvement of my cats, Artemis and Jasper.
S. Ford, A. Oswald, J. Zhang, Properties of locally gentle algebras, preprint.
S. Ford, Automorphisms of locally gentle algebras, in preparation.
W. Easton, S. Ford, B. Greenfeld, G. King, Nilpotent elements, noncommutative points and base field sensitivity, in preparation.
S. Ford, Diagrammatic Representations of Finitely-Generated Generalized Temperley-Lieb Algebras, Masters thesis.
M. Bueno, J. Breen, S. Ford, S. Furtado, On the sign characteristic of Hermitian linearizations in DL(P ), Linear Algebra and its Applications, 519, pp. 73-101, April 2017.
Combinatorics of locally gentle algebras - Combinatorics and Geometry Seminar, University of Washington - April 2, 2025
Homological conditions on locally gentle algebras - 2025 Joint Mathematics Meetings - January 9, 2025
Homological conditions on locally gentle algebras - AMS 2024 Fall Central Sectional Meeting, University of Texas, San Antonio - September 14th, 2024
Locally gentle algebras (5 minute “lightning talk”) - Women in Math Day Celebration, University of Washington - May 13th, 2024
Geometric properties of locally gentle algebras (poster) - Introductory Workshop: Non-commutative Algebraic Geometry, SLMath - February 8th, 2024
Properties of locally gentle algebras (invited) - Seattle Non-commutative Algebra Day (SNAD), University of Washington - October 21st, 2023
Frobenius-Perron dimension and gentle algebras - Non-commutative Algebra Seminar, University of Washington - May 2023
Sign-Characteristic-Preserving Linearizations in DL(P) - WIMSoCal, Pomona College - November 7th, 2015
Hermitian linearizations of matrix polynomials - Young Mathematicians Conference, Ohio State University - August 2015
Slides for Homological conditions on locally gentle algebras (Fall 2024 version)
Slides on Combinatorics of locally gentle algebras
Math 120 - Pre-Calculus - Summer 2021, Summer 2022, Summer 2023
Math 208 - Linear Algebra - Spring 2024
Math 300 - Introduction to Proof-writing - Summer 2025
Math 120 - Pre-Calculus - Fall 2020
Math 124 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry I (differentiation) - Fall 2019, Winter 2020, Fall 2021, Winter 2022
Math 125 - Calculus with Analytic Geometry II (integration) - Fall 2022
Math 208 - Linear Algebra - Winter 2025
Math 300 - Introduction to Proof-writing - Spring 2025
Math 327 - Introduction to Real Analysis - Spring 2022, Fall 2023, Winter 2024
Math 403 - Introduction to Modern Algebra (group theory) - Winter 2021
Math 424 - Fundamental Concepts of Analysis I - Fall 2024
Math 425 - Fundamental Concepts of Analysis II - Spring 2021
Math 34A - Calculus for Social Sciences I - Fall 2016, Spring 2019
Math 34B - Calculus for Social Sciences II - Winter 2017
Math 4A - Linear Algebra - Spring 2017, Fall 2017, Fall 2018
Math 8 - Transition to Higher Math (proof-writing) - Summer 2017, Winter 2018
Math 111C - Galois Theory - Spring 2018
Math 117 - Methods of Analysis (introductory real analysis) - Winter 2019
WXML (Washington eXperimental Mathematics Lab) graduate mentor
Quantum symmetries of gentle algebras, faculty mentor Amrei Oswald - Winter-Spring 2025
Nilpotent elements, noncommutative points and base field sensitivity, faculty mentor Be'eri Greenfeld - Autumn 2024
Washington Directed Reading Program mentor, project: Introduction to Group Theory - Winter 2024, Spring 2024
Graduate teaching assistant mentor at University of Washington - Autumn 2021
Graduate tutor at Math Study Center (UW) - Summer 2020, Autumn 2020, Autumn 2022
Volunteer tutor at Mastery Learning Hour - Winter 2021
Graduate tutor at Math Lab (UCSB) - Summer 2018
Tutor for Campus Learning Assistance Services (UCSB) - Autumn 2015
Ph.D. Candidate, University of Washington (advanced to candidacy in Spring 2023)
MS Mathematics, University of Washington (2022)
MA Mathematics, University of California Santa Barbara (2019)
BS Mathematics, University of California Santa Barbara (2016)
Email: siford@uw.edu
Office: Padelford C-109