Quick Bio of Dr. Walters

Ph.D. 1988, M.A. 1981, in Mathematics from Dalhousie University. (Dr Walters does not have a Bachelor's degree. He went into graduate studies right after high school.)

Dr. Walters' name appeared in a select list of "popular profs" at UNBC in the 1997 and 2005 issues of the Maclean's Guide to Canadian Universities. Teachingwise, he's ok.

Before coming to UNBC, Dr. Walters was Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario (1990-94), a post-doctoral fellow at UBC (1988-90), and a lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan (1985-1988). He obtained his Ph.D. (1988) and M.A. (1981) in Pure Mathematics from Dalhousie University.

His early education have all been in American schools, including Colfax Elementary, Taylor Allderdice High, and before these Gladstone High School (in Hazelwood) -- all in Pittsburgh, P.A., USA. After Pittsburgh, he graduated from a private U.S. high school overseas. After high school he went straight to graduate school: Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada. (He has no undergraduate degree.)

Research Field

Dr. Walters' field of research includes Functional Analysis, Operator Algebras, with focus on C*-algebras, K-theory, Noncommutative Geometry, and Mathematical Physics.

The field of Operator Algebras is a mathematical offshoot of Quantum Theory in physics, though it has developed into an independent field of Mathematics. Sam is interested in the growing connections with theoretical high energy physics (see hep-th on arXiv) -- particularly string theory, M-theory, and particularly Susskind's (et al) "Matrix Theory" model formulation of M-theory.

Applications of Operator Algebras to String Theory.

In September 1996, Dr. Walters organized the Fifth West Coast Operator Algebra Seminar at UNBC, which was attended by top researchers in the field (over 30 particpants), mainly from Berkeley and UCLA, that included several (financially supported) PhD students working on the frontiers of the subject.