Thomas Polstra


I am an assistant professor in the mathematics department at the University of Alabama. Prior to my current position, I was a Simons postdoctoral fellow at MSRI, research associate and lecturer at the University of Virginia, NSF postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah, and a graduate student at the University of Missouri.


Publications and Preprints

  • Strong F-regularity and the Uniform Symbolic Topology Propblem,
    Submitted.
  • Zariski-Nagata Theorems for Singularities and the Uniform Izumi-Rees Property,
    Submitted.
  • On F-pure Inversion of Adjunction, with Austyn Simpson and Kevin Tucker
    accepted to Shokurov’s 70th birthday volume.
  • Primary Decompositions of Regular Sequences,
    submitted.
  • On the Equality of Test Ideals, with Ian Aberbach and Craig Huneke,
    Adv. Math. (2024).
  • Local Cohomology Bounds and the Weak Implies Strong Conjecture in dimension 4, with Ian Aberbach,
    J. Algebra 605 (2022), 37–57.
  • F-singularities: a commutative algebra approach (preliminary version), with Linquan Ma,
    preliminary version.
  • F-purity deforms in Q-Gorenstein rings, with Austyn Simpson,
    Int. Math. Res. Not. IMRN (2023), no.~24.
  • Compatible ideals in Gorenstein rings, with Karl Schwede,
    Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. (2023).
  • Local cohomology bounds and test ideals, with Ian Aberbach,
    permanent preprint due to delay of publication.
  • Global F-splitting ratio,with Alessandro De Stefani and Yongwei Yao,
    J. Algebra 610 (2022), 773–792.
  • Covers of rational double points in mixed characteristic, with Javier Carvajal-Rojas, Linquan Ma, Kevin Tucker, and Karl Schwede,
    J. Singul. 23 (2021), 127–150.
  • A theorem about maximal Cohen-Macaulay modules,
    Int. Math. Res. Not. IMRN 2022, no. 3, 2086–2094.
  • Global Frobenius Betti numbers and Euler characteristic, with Alessandro De Stefani and Yongwei Yao,
    Michigan Math. J. 71 (2022), no. 3, 533--552.
  • F-nilpotent rings and permanence properties, with Jennifer Kenkel, Kyle Maddox, and Austyn Simpson,
    J. Commut. Algebra 15 (2023), no. 4, 559--575.
  • Equimultiplicity theory of strongly F-regular rings,with Ilya Smirnov,
    Michigan Math. J. Advance Publication 1 - 20, 2021.
  • Nilpotence of Frobenius actions on local cohomology and Frobenius closure of ideals, with Pham Hung Quy,
    J. Algebra 529 (2019), 196--225.
  • F-signature under birational morphisms, with Linquan Ma, Karl Schwede, and Kevin Tucker,
    Forum Math. Sigma 7 (2019), e11, 20 pp.
  • Continuity of Hilbert-Kunz multiplicity and F-signature, with Ilya Smirnov,
    Nagoya Mathematical Journal, 1-24. doi:10.1017/nmj.2018.43.
  • Globalizing F-invariants, with Alessandro De Stefani and Yongwei Yao,
    Adv. Math. 350 (2019), 359--395.
  • F-signature and Hilbert-Kunz Multipicity: a combined approach and comparison, with Kevin Tucker,
    Algebra & Number Theory 12-1 (2018), 61--97.
  • Generalizing Serre's Splitting Theorem and Bass's Cancellation Theorem via free-basic elements,with Alessandro De Stefani and Yongwei Yao,
    Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 146 (2018), no. 4, 1417--1430.
  • Uniform bounds in F-finite rings and lower semi-continuity of the F-signature,
    Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 370 (2018), no. 5, 3147--3169.
  • Depths and Stanley depths of path ideals of spines, with Daniel Campos, Susan Morey, and Chelsey Paulsen,
    Involve, 9(1): 155-170, 2016.
  • Depths and Cohen-Macaulay Properties of Path Ideals, with Daniel Campos, Susan Morey, and Chelsey Paulsen,
    Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, 218: 1537-1543, 2014.
  • Teaching

    Teaching at the University of Alabama

    MATH 301, Discrete Mathematics, Spring 2023.
    MATH 420, Linear Optimization, Fall 2022.
    MATH 677, Introduction to Commutative Algebra, Spring 2023.

    At the University of Virginia

    MATH 1320, Calculus II, Fall 2020.
    MATH 1310, Calculus I, Spring 2021.

    At the University of Utah

    MATH 4800, Undergraduate Research Mathematics, Fall 2019.
    MATH 1260, Honors multivariable calculus, Fall 2018.

    At the University of Missouri

    MATH 8411 (Algebra II), Teaching Assistant, Spring 2016, Spring 2017.
    MATH 8410 (Algebra I), Teaching Assistant and Reciatation Instructor, Fall 2016.
    MATH 4720 (Introduction to Abstract Algebra) Recitation Instructor, Spring 2015, Fall 2015, Spring 2017.
    MATH 4140 (Matrix Theory) Instructor, Summer 2015, Summer 2017.
    MATH 3000 (Introduction to Advanced Mathematics) Recitation Instructor, Fall 2016.
    MATH 2320 (Discrete Mathematical Structures) Instructor, Spring 2017.
    MATH 2300 (Calculus III) Instructor, Summer 2014, Summer 2016.
    MATH 1700 (Calculus II) Recitation Instructor, Fall 2015.
    MATH 1100 (College Algebra) Instructor, Fall 2013, Fall 2014.
    MATH 0110 (Intermediate Algebra) Instructor, Spring 2014.

    Email: tmpolstra@ua.edu

    Office: Gordan Palmer Hall 332C