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Aaron Welters

Associate Professor | College of Engineering and Science: Department of Mathematics and Systems Engineering

Contact Information

awelters@fit.edu
(321) 674-7202
Frederick C. Crawford Bldg, 319


Expertise

Mathematical Physics & Applied Mathematics (Electromagnetism, Photonic Crystals, Composites); Linear algebra; Complex Analysis; Functional Analysis; Operator Theory

Personal Overview

I am an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Systems Engineering (MSE) at Âé¶¹´«Ã½Ó³»­ (FIT). Before coming to FIT, I was held a two-year postdoctoral position (from 2012-2014) as an Applied Mathematics Instructor in the Department of Mathematics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 2011, I completed my Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). During 2011-2012, I was a VIGRE Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Mathematics at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Educational Background

Ph.D., Mathematics, University of California-Irvine, Irvine, CA

B.A., Mathematics, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, MN

Selected Publications

Here is a list of my publications and preprints.

    1. M. Cassier, G. W. Milton, and A. Welters, Broadband quasistatic passive cloaking: bounds and limitations in the near-field regime, arXiv:2601.02169 [math-ph] (preprint). doi:  
    2. A. Welters, Effective Operators in the Mathematical Theory of Composite Materials: The Hilbert Space Framework. In: Alpay, D., Colombo, F., Sabadini, I. (eds) Operator Theory. Springer, Basel, 2026. doi:
    3. J. Elsinger, I. Orzel, and A. Welters, µþ±ð²õ²õ³¾±ð°ù³Ù²Ô²âÄ­ realizations of symmetric multivariate rational matrix functions over any field, Linear Algebra Appl., 737, 80-118 (May 15, 2026). doi:
    4. Y. Grabovsky, G. W. Milton, and A. Welters, Complete characterization of symmetric Kubo-Ando operator means satisfying Molnar's weak associativity, Linear Algebra Appl., 628, 323-350 (Aug. 15, 2025). doi:
    5. A. Stefan, A., Welters, and J. Elsinger, Kharitonov’s Theorem with Degree Drop: a Wronskian Approach. Complex Anal. Oper. Theory 19, 74 (May 16, 2025). doi:
    6. A. Stefan and A. Welters, Continuity of the roots of a nonmonic polynomial and applications in multivariate stability theory, arXiv:2112.14287 [math.CA] (preprint). doi: 
    7. K. Beard and A. Welters, Matrix monotonicity and concavity of the principal pivot transform, Linear Algebra Appl., 628, 323-350 (Feb. 1, 2024). doi: 
    8. B. Alshammari and A. Welters, On the spectral theory of linear differential-algebraic equations with periodic coefficients, Journal of Analysis and Mathematical Physics, 13(94) (2023). doi: 
    9. K. Beard, A. Stefan, R. Viator, and A. Welters, Effective operators and their variational principles for discrete electrical network problems, J. Math. Phys., 64(7), 073501 (2023). doi: 
    10. A. Stefan and A., Welters, Extension of the µþ±ð²õ²õ³¾±ð°ù³Ù²Ô²âÄ­ Realization Theorem for Rational Functions of Several Complex Variables. Complex Anal. Oper. Theory 15, 115 (2021). doi: 
    11. A. Stefan and A. Welters, A short proof of the symmetric determinantal representation of polynomials, Linear Algebra Appl., 627, 80-93 (2021). doi: 
    12. M. Cassier, A. Welters, and G. W. Milton, A rigorous approach to the field recursion method for two-component composites with isotropic phases, Chap. 10 in: G. W. Milton (editor), Extending the Theory of Composites to Other Areas of Science. Milton-Patterson Publishing, Salt Lake City, UT, 2016. ISBN: 978-1483569192. doi: 
    13. M. Cassier, A. Welters, and G. W. Milton, Analyticity of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann map for the time-harmonic Maxwell's equations, Chap. 4 in: G. W. Milton (editor), Extending the Theory of Composites to Other Areas of Science. Milton-Patterson Publishing, Salt Lake City, UT, 2016. ISBN: 978-1483569192. doi: 
    14. A. Figotin and A. Welters, On overdamping phenomena in gyroscopic systems composed of high-loss and lossless components, J. Math. Phys. 57, 042902 (2016) doi: 
    15. S. P. Shipman and A. Welters, Pathological scattering by a defect in a slow-light periodic layered medium, J. Math. Phys. 57, 022902 (2016). doi: 
    16. A. Figotin and A. Welters, Lagrangian framework for systems composed of high-loss and lossless components, J. Math. Phys. 55, 062902 (2014). doi: 
    17. A. Welters, Y. Avniel, and S. G. Johnson, Speed-of-light limitations in passive linear media, Phys. Rev. A 90, 023847 (2014). doi: 
    18. S. P. Shipman and A. Welters, Resonant electromagnetic scattering in anisotropic layered media, J. Math. Phys. 54, 103511 (2013). doi: 
    19. S. P. Shipman and A. Welters, Resonance in anisotropic layered media, 2012 International Conference on Mathematical Methods in Electromagnetic Theory, 2012, pp. 227-232, doi:
    20. A. Figotin and A. Welters, Dissipative properties of systems composed of high-loss and lossless components, J. Math. Phys. 53, 123508 (2012). doi: 
    21. A. Welters, On Explicit Recursive Formulas in the Spectral Perturbation Analysis of a Jordan Block, SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl., 32:1, 1-22 (2011). doi: 
    22. A. Welters, On the Mathematics of Slow Light. Thesis (Ph.D.)-Univ. of Calif., Irvine. ProQuest LLC, Ann Arbor, MI, 2011.

Recognition & Awards

Aaron Welters (PI) and Xianqi Li (Co-PI), Collaborative Research: Data-driven Realization of State-space Dynamical Systems via Low-complexity Algorithms, National Science Foundation (NSF), $125,000, Aug. 1, 2024-July 31, 2027, Grant no.: DMS 2410678.

Aaron Welters (PI), Variational principles, bounds, and realizability of effective operators for metamaterial synthesis using multphase composites, Simons Foundation, Travel Support for Mathematicians, $42,000 ($8,400/year), Sept. 1, 2023-Aug. 31, 2028, Gift ID: MPS-TSM-00002799.

Aaron Welters (PI), YIP early career award, On a Theory of Broadband Absorption Suppression in Magnetic Composites, Air Force Office of Science Research (AFOSR), $264,199.41, Apr. 1, 2015-Mar. 31, 2018, AFOSR Grant no.: FA9550-15-1-0086. AFOSR Program Officer: Dr. Arje Nachman, Electromagnetics. Technical report @ https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1058297.pdf

Research

Research Interests:

  • Applied mathematics
  • Mathematical physics

Focus Areas:

  • Electromagnetics
  • Material science (composites and effective media) 
  • Dissipative systems

Mathematical Specializations:

  • Linear algebra
  • Functional analysis
  • Spectral and scattering theory
  • Perturbation theory
  • Passive linear systems theory
  • Herglotz-Nevanlinna functions

Current/Past Research Topics:

  • Passive cloaking
  • Positive operator means (e.g., Kubo-Ando means)
  • Monotonicity and concavity/convexity properties of matrix functions
  • Spectral theory of linear differential-algebraic equations (DAEs)
  • Realizability theory of multivariate functions (e.g., Bessmertnyi realizations, effective operator representations) 
  • Theory of composites and its extensions
  • Herglotz-Nevanlinna functions and their applications
  • Broadband absorption suppression in magnetic composites
  • Slow-light enhancement of light-matter interactions
  • Speed-of-light limitations in complex media
  • Wave propagation in complex and periodic media [e.g., metamaterials, composites, photonic crystals, materials with defects, slow and fast light, guided modes (i.e., embedded eigenvalues), resonance phenomena]

Current/Past Ph.D students: 

  • Preston Malen - Expected Graduation Date: May 2029
    • Dissertation title: TBA
  • Anthony Stefan - Expected Graduation Date: Fall 2026
    • Dissertation title (tentative): Bessmertny ̆ı realizations of effective tensors with symmetries in multiphase composites for metamaterial synthesis.
  • Bader Alshammari - Graduation Date: July 2022
    • Dissertation title: On the Spectral Theory of Linear Differential-Algebraic Operators with Periodic Coefficients

Current/Past MS students (with Thesis):

  • Kenneth Beard - Graduation Date: May 2022
    • Thesis title: Relaxation of Variational Principles for Z-problems in Effective Media Theory
  • Anthony Stefan - Graduation Date: May 2021
    • Thesis title: Schur Complement Algebra and Operations with Applications in Multivariate Functions, Realizations, and Representations