Itai Maimon

Mathematician

Summary

PhD graduate from UC San Diego specializing in topological quantum information and game theory. Brings a strong programming foundation and a passion for research through multidisciplinary problem-solving. Eager to apply advanced mathematical thinking to real-world challenges across technical and analytical domains.

Experience

October 2024 - April 2025

Mathematician, Terawave

Conducted theoretical and applied research at an early-stage startup, contributing key findings that shaped the company’s understanding of the feasibility of its core signal processing technology.

  • Hired as part of the founding business development team to investigate and develop the theoretical basis for a novel communication system.
  • Researched and modeled the idealized form of modern signal processing frameworks, including Semantic Communication (SemCom) systems and Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM).
  • Assisted engineering team in designing timing synchronization protocols by proposing a variant of Gold codes capable of aligning up to 63 parallel signals.
  • Identified fundamental theoretical limitations in the startup’s core concept, guiding leadership toward strategic redirection and concluding the project.
September 2019 - December 2024

Freelance Consultant (part-time, concurrent with PhD), Misc. Startups

Provided part-time consulting to multiple early-stage startups, leveraging academic expertise to evaluate technical feasibility, articulate commercial potential, and enhance the clarity and persuasiveness of grant applications. Work focused on bridging deep technical content with accessible, investor- and reviewer-ready narratives.

  • Notoros (Blockchain): Assessed the mathematical foundations of the company’s blockchain method; confirmed feasibility and co-authored technical narratives to clearly convey both the underlying innovation and its practical applications in an SBIR grant proposal.
  • enVerde (Waste-to-Energy): Investigated state-of-the-art Waste-to-Energy technologies and enVerde’s system design; ensured technical claims in their SBIR application were compelling, accurate, and aligned with industry standards and terminology.
September 2019 - December 2024

Graduate Researcher, UC San Diego

Conducted theoretical research in pure mathematics, with a focus on topological quantum information and game theory. Explored mathematical structures underlying quantum error-correcting codes, including novel encodings of topological invariants, and developed formal models for analyzing fairness in classes of undominated games. Work emphasized abstract mathematical modeling and structural insights in both quantum and strategic contexts.

  • Studied quantum algorithms, quantum error correction, and topological quantum information, with a focus on formal structure and code space construction.
  • Developed an encoding of obstruction classes (e.g., characteristic classes of fiber bundles) into quantum error-correcting codes using generalized homological and cohomological methods extending Kitaev’s toric code.
  • Investigated a framework for classifying higher-dimensional topological codes inspired by Levin-Wen and Walker-Wang models.
  • Defined a novel mathematical notion of unfairness in undominated and strictly undominated games; proved the existence of maximally unfair two-player Rock-Paper-Scissors variants and extended the result to multiplayer games.
  • Applied this fairness framework to abstract models of population dynamics, yielding examples of stable but unbalanced hierarchical systems.
September 2018 - December 2024

Lecturer and Teaching Assistant, UC San Diego

Served as both Teaching Assistant and Lecturer across a broad range of undergraduate and graduate mathematics courses. Led the coordination of MATLAB integration within the department’s curriculum, managing instructional resources and support for large student populations and overseeing teams of teaching assistants and graders.

  • Delivered lectures for multivariable calculus courses with enrollment exceeding 200 students.
  • Coordinated the MATLAB curriculum for linear algebra and differential equations, supporting over 1,000 students per semester; managed and trained a team of 15–20 graders and tutors to provide timely, effective academic assistance.
  • Provided teaching assistance for over two thirds of undergraduate mathematics courses at UCSD, as well as the full graduate topology sequence, ensuring quality instruction and student support.
July 2017 - June 2018

Software Engineering/Physics Intern, nBn Technologies

Worked as a software engineering apprentice during a gap year, developing data processing interfaces for infrared detectors. Led the grant writing efforts by translating complex physics concepts into clear, compelling narratives that supported successful funding applications.

  • Developed C# software to process infrared detector data, including data cleaning, conversion to black-and-white values, and generation of visual outputs.
  • Created optional tools to enhance visualization, such as edge detection filters, screen recording functionality, and customizable toolbars for manual data adjustments.
  • Led the drafting of a Phase I SBIR NSF grant application that secured funding in a highly competitive process (<20% acceptance rate) by effectively communicating technical details to non-specialist reviewers.
January 2015 - June 2017

Undergraduate Researcher, Binghamton University

Contributed to research projects within Professor Alexey Kolmogorov’s computational physics group, gaining experience in machine learning techniques, computational mathematics, and collaborative scientific research.

  • Developed Gaussian process models in C aimed at applying machine learning to predict properties of potential superconductors.
  • Utilized Professor Kolmogorov’s Maise/AI software to analyze and interpret energy transitions in graphene.
  • Created computational simulations in C to study the behavior of the three-torus under unstable diffeomorphisms.

Education

Binghamton University

September 2013 - September 2017

Bachelors Mathematics and Mathematical Physics

University of California San Diego

September 2018 - September 2024

Doctorate Mathematics

Awards

Award for Excellence in Mathematics

Binghamton University

A monetary award given to outstanding graduating seniors in mathematics.

George E Moore Scholarship for Academic Achievement in Physics

Binghamton University

A monetary award given to a single outstanding graduating senior in physics.

Publications

Homological Codes, Their Extensions, and Certain Unfair Games

October 2024
UCSD

This is my Dissertation, which is available through ProQuest ID: Maimon_ucsd_0033D_24021. It contains current copies of the three papers below.

Novel Encodings of Homology, Cohomology, and Characteristic Classes

January 2025
Under Review

This work outlines new methods for topological encodings in quantum error correcting codes.

Maximally Unfair yet Strongly Playable Discrete Games

January 2025
Under Review

This work discusses a novel form of unfairness in games.

Multiplayer Unfair and Strongly Playable Discrete Games

January 2025
Under Review

This work discusses a multiplayer version of unfairness in games.

A Study in Reverse Engineering Topological Quantum Codes

January 2025
In Preparation

This work assists in classifying a certain form of topological codes.

A numerical study of Gibbs u-measures for partially hyperbolic diffeomorphisms on T3

January 2017
Experimental Mathematics

A project using computational evidence and numerical methods to understand the behavior of an unstable dynamical system acting on the three-dimensional torus. DOI: 10.1080/10586458.2017.1389321

Atomic Structural evolution during the reduction of α-Fe2O3 nanowires

January 2016
Journal of Physical Chemistry

A study in the full reduction process for Iron-Oxide nanowires. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.6b02033