CGE Scholar Spotlight: Lorenzo Ruffoni

Dr. Lorenzo Ruffoni
International Scholar from Italy
Doctorate in Mathematics

Dr. Lorenzo Ruffoni is a distinguished international scholar from Italy who has been conducting research and teaching at FSU in the Department of Mathematics since August 2018. He will begin working at Tufts University as a Norbert Wiener Assistant Professor of Mathematics in fall 2021.

During Ruffoni’s time at FSU he received one of the 2020 Postdoctoral Travel Awards from the Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs. He also received the Research Mentor Award from the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement for his contribution to the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program. As a first-generation student, Ruffoni was touched by the award. “I enjoy working with undergraduates who are curious about research and academic careers, and I try my best to mentor them so that they know how to achieve their dreams,” Ruffoni said.

Ruffoni’s academic background is in pure mathematics with a specialization in the field of geometry and topology.

“In 2018 I moved to FSU as a Dean's Postdoctoral Scholar in Mathematics. I am an author and co-author of seven papers, four of which have been written during my time at FSU, and six of which have been accepted for publication in international scientific journals,” Ruffoni said.

While at FSU, Ruffoni has co-organized regional conferences in his research area and has conducted professional development workshops for postdoctoral scholars. He has been invited to present his research results at seminars and conferences in the U.S. and abroad. “Since my first semester at FSU, I have been a board member of the Post-Doctoral Association, organizing events and advocating for policies for FSU postdocs across campus," Ruffoni said.

While Ruffoni was visiting Yale University to work on a project related to the theory of circle packings, he came across some papers by Dr. Phil Bowers, a world-renowned expert on the topic. He later discovered that Dr. Bowers, a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics at FSU, was looking to hire postdocs. “I got in touch with him and submitted my application. They contacted me for a virtual interview, and a few days later I received the formal offer letter,” Ruffoni said. “I moved back to Italy to deal with documents, and I came back to the U.S. in August 2018. After spending a week at a research retreat in Virginia with Dr. Bowers and his research group, I came back to Tallahassee for the start of the semester at FSU.”

Ruffoni is a member of the Geometry and Topology research group in the Department of Mathematics. Dr. Bowers is his research and teaching mentor. Ruffoni has had the pleasure of working with Dr. Bowers, Dr. Ballas, and Dr. Casella. The group also consists of other faculty members, postdocs, and graduate students who meet every week for a seminar.

“Being part of a supportive community at FSU has been the most meaningful experience for me. This started in the department, where everyone has encouraged me to pursue my career goals and concretely helped me to do so: by volunteering their time, offering their knowledge and expertise, providing funding, and so on,” Ruffoni said. “This has inspired me to be a better member of the communities I am part of, first and foremost my classroom. My time at FSU has completely reshaped the way I think about teaching, thanks to the guidance of many people, among which I should mention my teaching mentor Dr. Bowers, but also Dr. Richardson and Dr. Bartman from the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, as well as my fellow postdocs in the department and across campus.”

If you're interested in learning more about Ruffioni's work or connecting with him, please visit his website.

If you’re an international scholar who is interested in being highlighted by the CGE on our website, social media platforms, and in publications, please share your experience as an international student at FSU with us through this questionnaire. Plan to upload a collegiate picture of yourself and spend about 20 minutes completing the survey.