Tamás Róbert Mezei

Mathematician

Tamás Róbert Mezei

About me

I am a mathematician specializing in combinatorics and algorithms. The research topics I have studied are diverse, their nature hovering around the boundary of theoretical and applied mathematics. Extremal and graph theoretical themes are regularly featured in my papers.

To take a break from work, I enjoy riding around the hilly regions of the country. I also love cooking dishes of different cuisines. I find reading about antrohopology, philoshophy, physics, and economics inspiring. Sometimes I make enamel art on copper.

Most Proud of

Academic Youth Award

Awarded by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences to recognise outstanding scientific achievements. Received in Feb 2022.

Co-authored 20 scientific papers

Contributed to a broad range of topics, including (extremal) graph theory, computational geometry, network theory, and bioinformatics.

Multiple finalist in Challenge 24

24 hour programming contest between teams of 3. Organised by the Budapest University of Technology (BME). Finalist in 2010 and in 2014.

Strengths

Combinatorics
Algorithm development
Markov chains
Computational geometry
Scientific writing
Team player
Interdisciplinary experience

Computer skills

Julia
LaTeX
Vim
Git
C++
Self-hosting
Linux
Postfix
Nginx
Gitea
QEMU
Matrix/Element

Languages

English

TOEFL iBT, Score 109/120
 Sep 2012

German

ÖSD B2 (Mittelstufe)
 Jun 2007

Hungarian

native speaker

Hobbies

Road cycling
Cooking
Reading
DIY
Home improvement
Enamel art

Copyright T.R. Mezei

Created using Hugo

Theme: sada by darshan

Experience

Research fellow

Young researcher grant
Worked on the following topics & grants

  • Traditional & non-traditional methods in extremal combinatorics
  • Synthetic networks
  • Modern extremal combinatorial problems
  • Graph theory & combinatorial scientific computing
  • Clustering in wireless networks (industry collaboration)

Visiting researcher

Sep 2019 - Oct 2019
Studied phylogenetic networks with Prof. Andrew Francis.

Visiting researcher

Studied network growth & dynamics with Prof. Zoltán Toroczkai.

Assistant research fellow

Pre-doc & post-doc

Education

Ph.D. in Mathematics & its applications

with a certificate in Network Science

Central European University
Sep 2013 - Nov 2017

Thesis: Extremal solutions to some art gallery and terminal-pairability problems

Grade: Summa cum laude

(Received the Academic Achievement Award for first-year doctoral students in 2014)

Masters in Mathematics

Eötvös Loránd University
Sep 2011 - Jul 2013

Thesis: Seating couples and Tic-Tac-Toe

Grade: with honours

Bachelors in Mathematics

Eötvös Loránd University
Sep 2008 - Jul 2011

Thesis: Combinatorial Nullstellensätze

Grade: with distinction

Publications

A. Hubai, T. R. Mezei, F. Béres, A. Benczúr, and I. Miklós, “Constructing and sampling partite, 3-uniform hypergraphs with given degree sequence”, PLOS ONE, vol. 19, no. 5, p. e0303155, May 2024
  DOI  arXiv

P. L. Erdős, T. R. Mezei, and I. Miklós, “Approximate Sampling of Graphs with Near-P-Stable Degree Intervals”, Annals of Combinatorics, Dec. 2023
  DOI  arXiv

P. L. Erdős, S. R. Kharel, T. R. Mezei, and Z. Toroczkai, “Degree-preserving graph dynamics: a versatile process to construct random networks”, Journal of Complex Networks, vol. 11, no. 6, p. cnad046, Dec. 2023
  DOI  arXiv

P. L. Erdős and T. R. Mezei, “Minimizing Interference-to-Signal Ratios in Multi-Cell Telecommunication Networks”, Algorithms, vol. 16 no. 7, Jul. 2023
  DOI  arXiv

T. R. Mezei, “Covering simple orthogonal polygons with 𝑟-stars”, arXiv, Apr. 26, 2023
  arXiv

P. L. Erdős, G. Harcos, S. R. Kharel, P. Maga, T. R. Mezei, and Z. Toroczkai, “The sequence of prime gaps is graphic”, Mathematische Annalen, Feb. 2023
  DOI  arXiv

T. R. Mezei, S. R. Kharel, P. L. Erdős, and Z. Toroczkai, “On graphic degree sequences and matching numbers”, arXiv - under review in Discete Mathematics, Apr. 15, 2022
  arXiv

S. R. Kharel, T. R. Mezei, S. Chung, P. L. Erdős, and Z. Toroczkai, “Degree-preserving network growth”, Nature Physics, vol. 18, no. 1, Jan. 2022
  DOI

P. L. Erdős, C. Greenhill, T. R. Mezei, I. Miklós, D. Soltész, and L. Soukup, “The mixing time of switch Markov chains: A unified approach”, European Journal of Combinatorics, vol. 99, pp. 99–146, Jan. 2022
  DOI  arXiv

P. L. Erdős, E. Győri, T. R. Mezei, I. Miklós, and D. Soltész, “Half-Graphs, Other Non-stable Degree Sequences, and the Switch Markov Chain”, The Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, vol. 28, no. 3, p. P3.7, Jul. 2021
  DOI  arXiv

P. L. Erdős, A. Francis, and T. R. Mezei, “Rooted NNI moves and distance-1 tail moves on tree-based phylogenetic networks”, Discrete Applied Mathematics, vol. 294, pp. 205–213, May 2021
  DOI  arXiv

I. Hartarsky and T. R. Mezei, “Complexity of Two-dimensional Bootstrap Percolation Difficulty: Algorithm and NP-Hardness”, SIAM J. Discrete Math., vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 1444–1459, Jan. 2020
  DOI  arXiv

E. Győri and T. R. Mezei, “Mobile versus Point Guards”, Discrete & Computational Geometry, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 421–451, Mar. 2019
  DOI  arXiv

E. Győri, T. R. Mezei, and G. Mészáros, “Terminal-Pairability in Complete Graphs”, Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing, vol. 107, pp. 221–231, Nov. 2018
  arXiv

P. L. Erdős, T. R. Mezei, I. Miklós, and D. Soltész, “Efficiently sampling the realizations of bounded, irregular degree sequences of bipartite and directed graphs”, PLOS ONE, vol. 13, no. 8, p. e0201995, Aug. 2018
  DOI  arXiv

L. Colucci, P. L. Erdős, E. Győri, and T. R. Mezei, “Terminal-pairability in complete bipartite graphs with non-bipartite demands: Edge-disjoint paths in complete bipartite graphs”, Theoretical Computer Science, vol. 775, pp. 16–25, Jul. 2019
  DOI  arXiv

L. Colucci, P. L. Erdős, E. Győri, and T. R. Mezei, “Terminal-pairability in complete bipartite graphs”, Discrete Applied Mathematics, vol. 236, pp. 459–463, Feb. 2018
  DOI  arXiv

D. Dedinszki et al., “Oral administration of pyrophosphate inhibits connective tissue calcification”, EMBO Molecular Medicine, p. e201707532, Jul. 2017
  DOI

E. Győri, T. R. Mezei, and G. Mészáros, “Note on terminal-pairability in complete grid graphs”, Discrete Mathematics, vol. 340, no. 5, pp. 988–990, May 2017
  DOI  arXiv

E. Győri and T. R. Mezei, “Partitioning orthogonal polygons into ≤ 8-vertex pieces, with application to an art gallery theorem”, Computational Geometry, vol. 59, pp. 13–25, Dec. 2016
  DOI  arXiv

Other activities

Accessible website about COVID

Providing scientifically accurate yet easy to understand up-to date information about COVID-19 from the early stages of the pandemic on. Responsible for website design and structure. Proofread most of the content.

It is cited in the recommendations for decision-makers by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences as a widely acclaimed website targeting laypeople with science-backed information.

The website was also featured by ELTE (my MSc and BSc alma mater).

Board member at my condominium

I served from 2018 until 2021 as the chair of the supervisory board of the building I live in. Since 2021, I am the deputy chairman of the board managing the condominium. Voluntary work.