Thatchaphol Saranurak named 2025 Sloan Research Fellow

Thatchaphol Saranurak, Morris Wellman Faculty Development Assistant Professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Michigan, has been selected to receive a Sloan Research Fellowship by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for his work developing efficient algorithms for dynamic graphs.

Saranurak’s research focuses on making faster and more efficient algorithms for dynamic graphs, that is, graph networks of systems that change over time, including social networks, traffic systems, and the internet. While traditional graph algorithms often require recomputation after each update, Saranurak’s innovative approaches allow for algorithms that adapt dynamically, enhancing algorithmic efficiency and broadening their potential in a variety of real-world applications. He also develops robust algorithms that can withstand adversarial updates, as well as designing continuous optimization techniques to solve complex combinatorial problems.

Saranurak has made significant strides in theoretical computer science through his pioneering research. For instance, his work on dynamic algorithms that update estimates of the maximum matching size in graphs as edges change achieved an approximation ratio better than 2, breaking a long-standing barrier and earning him a Best Paper Award at the 2023 ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms (SODA).

His research has earned him several prestigious accolades. He received the 2023 Presburger Award from the European Association for Theoretical Computer Science (EATCS) and, also in 2023, he received an NSF CAREER Award for his project “Theory for Dynamic Graph Algorithms,” which aims to solve open problems in graph theory by studying their interconnections. 

“I feel truly honored to receive the Sloan Research Fellowship,” said Saranurak. “This recognition is both exciting and motivating, and I look forward to making more progress in algorithm design in the future. I feel grateful and lucky for all the support I have received from my mentors, students, and colleagues.”

Awarded annually since 1955, Sloan Research Fellowships honor outstanding scholars in the U.S. and Canada whose creativity, leadership, and independent research achievements mark them as some of the most promising researchers working today.