COSAM News Articles 2018 October COSAM Faculty Focus: Gregory J. Puleo

COSAM Faculty Focus: Gregory J. Puleo

Published: 10/15/2018

Dr. Greg Puleo, a native of New York City, is an assistant professor of mathematics at the College of Mathematics and Sciences at Auburn University.

Although he is in a new position in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Puleo was a postdoctoral fellow at Auburn University teaching and conducting research from 2016 – 2018.

In 2009, Dr. Puleo graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology majoring in applied mathematics. He then earned his Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Illinois in 2014. He was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Illinois from 2014 – 2016.

Today as an assistant professor, he enjoys more upper-divisional courses such as graph theory and cryptography. His primary research interest is combinatorics, which includes graph theory, coloring problems and combinatorial games.

Why did Dr. Puleo want to pursue this tenure-track position at Auburn? He was inspired by the strong research group in mathematics. “The opportunity to collaborate with these researchers gives me the chance to increase my knowledge and challenges me to greater heights,” said Dr. Puleo.

Growing up in New York City, Dr. Puleo traveled to Stuyvesant High School, a specialized school, each day from Staten Island. During his commute, he was inspired by a friend who would share his experiences in advanced math courses. During these conversations on the train, he began to develop an enthusiasm for mathematics that transformed into a lifelong passion for his career.

In his spare time, he has fun with traditional and online board games. He also enjoys the natural beauty throughout the Auburn University campus and the abundant amount of parks in the City of Auburn.