By Erin Wickey
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 7, 2026) — Nathaniel Stapleton, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Mathematics in the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts and Sciences, has been honored as a 2026-27 University Research Professor.
Stapleton’s research explores some of the most challenging and conceptually rich questions in modern mathematics. Working in a field known as chromatic homotopy theory, he investigates deep structural patterns that shape how mathematicians understand space, symmetry and change. His work connects multiple areas of study, including algebra, geometry and even theoretical physics, revealing unexpected links across disciplines.
At the center of his research are tools called Morava E-theories, which help mathematicians uncover hidden symmetries and organize complex mathematical structures. These ideas play a key role in advancing algebraic topology, a field that has far-reaching implications for how scientists model everything from geometric spaces to physical systems.
He spoke with UKNow about his latest honor as a University Research Professor in this Q&A.
UKNow: What does it mean to you to be recognized as a University Research Professor?
Stapleton: It is a tremendous honor. I am very grateful to the University of Kentucky for recognizing my research program in this way. Mathematics is often a long-term and highly collaborative enterprise, and this recognition feels like support not only for the work I have already done, but also for the kind of fundamental research that takes time and persistence. Credit for the work goes to my exceptional collaborators as well, several of whom are internationally recognized mathematicians. I am especially pleased that this recognition comes from UK, where I have been given the freedom to build a research community to pursue ambitious mathematical questions.
UKNow: How will the professorships program advance your research?
Stapleton: The professorship will give me additional flexibility to pursue several long-term projects and take part in a program at the Center for Mathematical Sciences and Applications at Harvard University in Spring 2027. It will also support my research seminar, called the Kentucky Bourbon Seminar, which meets for two hours each week and has been running for the last four years. The seminar has become an important part of my research life at UK, bringing together faculty, postdocs, graduate students and visitors to learn about new ideas and develop ongoing projects.
UKNow: What inspired your focus on this area of research?
Stapleton: I was drawn to algebraic topology because it embodies what I think of as the interconnectedness of mathematics. The area that I work in, called chromatic homotopy theory, sits between several major areas of mathematics and makes use of them all in order to solve hard problems. One of the beautiful things about the field is that very abstract ideas can reveal hidden structure in objects that at first seem impossible to understand directly.
UKNow: What continues to motivate your work?
Stapleton: What continues to motivate me is the chance to work on hard problems where I feel that I have the right tools to make progress. In mathematics, some problems can seem completely out of reach until the right perspective or framework begins to bring them into focus. I am also strongly motivated by collaboration and by working with students. Some of the most exciting moments in research come when a conversation, a calculation or a student’s question changes the way you see a problem.
UKNow: How does your research impact Kentucky?
Stapleton: My research impacts Kentucky most directly through the students I teach and mentor at the University of Kentucky. Each year, I teach large calculus lectures and interact with hundreds of undergraduates, many of whom are preparing for careers in science, engineering, technology, medicine, business and education. I also teach specialized courses that grow out of my research interests, including a recent course on category theory and computer science. My research makes me a better teacher because it keeps me connected to mathematics as a living, creative subject, not just a set of established techniques. That perspective helps me show students how mathematical ideas develop, how abstract thinking can become useful and how difficult problems can be approached systematically.
More broadly, my research brings national and international mathematical activity to Kentucky through collaborations, grants, visitors and student training. These provide our graduate and undergraduate students with extraordinary opportunities that they could not find elsewhere in Kentucky. I am proud that this kind of work happens at UK and that Kentucky students can be part of it.
About the University Research Professors
Each year, the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees approves a cohort of faculty as University Research Professors. The distinction recognizes excellence in work that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in Kentucky and the world.
College leadership developed criteria for excellence within their area of expertise and then nominated faculty who excelled at these criteria. Each University Research Professor receives a one-year award of $10,000.