Professor Sarah Whitehouse

School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Professor of Pure Mathematics

s.whitehouse@sheffield.ac.uk
J6c, Hicks Building

Full contact details

Professor Sarah Whitehouse
School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences
J6c
Hicks Building
Hounsfield Road
Sheffield
S3 7RH
Profile

I obtained my Ph.D. from the University of Warwick in 1994, following a B.Sc. (1990) and M.Sc. (1991) also from Warwick. I spent several years in France, as a Marie Curie post-doctoral researcher at the Université Paris 13 and as a Maître de Conférences at Lens, before coming to Sheffield in 2002.

Research interests

In algebraic topology we use algebra to extract topological or geometric information about spaces. Among the standard tools used to carry out the translation from topology to algebra are generalised cohomology theories. Given such a theory there is an associated algebra of operations, carrying a wealth of structure and information. Prof Whitehouse is particularly interested in studying the structure and properties of these algebras.

A simple, yet still interesting example, is given by complex K-theory. This theory has a strong geometric flavour and yet there is a rich interplay with other areas, such as number theory.

The interplay between topology and algebra leads to ``up to homotopy'' versions of algebraic structures. Prof Whitehouse is interested in A-infinity and E-infinity algebras, arising when one weakens associativity and commutativity conditions.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Cirici J, Egas Santander D, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2020) . Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Section A: Mathematics, 150(6), 2815-2848.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Agarwal S, Grbić J, Intermont M, Jovanović M, Lagoda E & Whitehouse S (2025) . Topology and its Applications.
  • Whitehouse S & Livernet M (2024) . Homology, Homotopy and Applications (HHA), 26(1), 69-86.
  • Fu X, Guan A, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2022) . Topology and its Applications, 316.
  • Mycroft W & Whitehouse S (2021) . Annals of K-Theory, 6(3), 481-502.
  • Cirici J, Egas Santander D, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2020) . Proceedings of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Section A: Mathematics, 150(6), 2815-2848.
  • Livernet M, Whitehouse S & Ziegenhagen S (2020) . Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, 224(2), 528-535.
  • Cirici J, Egas Santander D, Livernet M & Whitehouse SA (2018) . Topology and its Applications, 235, 214-268.
  • Stanley L & Whitehouse S (2015) . Forum Mathematicum, 27(3), 1435-1378.
  • Roman CIA, Livernet M, Robertson M, Whitehouse S & Ziegenhagen S (2015) . Contemporary Mathematics, 641, 1-27.
  • Gálvez-Carrillo I & Whitehouse S (2014) . Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society.
  • Livernet M, Roitzheim C & Whitehouse S (2013) . Algebraic and Geometric Topology, 13(1), 409-440.
  • Hignett AJ & Whitehouse S (2011) Discrete module categories and operations in K-theory. Topology and its Applications.
  • Roitzheim C & Whitehouse S (2011) . Algebraic and Geometric Topology, 11(1), 107-143.
  • Strong MJ & Whitehouse S (2010) . Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, 214(6), 910-918.
  • Strong M-J & Whitehouse S (2010) . Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, 138(6), 2221-2233.
  • Stacey A & Whitehouse S (2009) THE HUNTING OF THE HOPF RING. HOMOL HOMOTOPY APPL, 11(2), 75-132.
  • Stacey A & Whitehouse S (2008) . ALGEBR GEOM TOPOL, 8(2), 1059-1091.
  • Clarke F, Crossley M & Whitehouse S (2007) . TOPOLOGY, 46(2), 139-154.
  • Clarke F & Whitehouse S (2006) . J PURE APPL ALGEBRA, 207(3), 607-617.
  • Galvez I & Whitehouse S (2005) . MATH Z, 251(3), 475-489.
  • Clarke F, Crossley M & Whitehouse S (2005) . TOPOLOGY, 44(1), 151-174.
  • Whitehouse S (2002) . Journal of Algebra, 251(2), 914-926.
  • ROBINSON A & WHITEHOUSE S (2002) . Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, 132(2), 197-234.
  • Crossley MD & Whitehouse S (2001) . Proceedings of the Edinburgh Mathematical Society, 44(1), 19-26.
  • Whitehouse S (2001) . Communications in Algebra, 29(8), 3351-3363.
  • Whitehouse S (2001) . Journal of Algebraic Combinatorics, 13(3), 317-326.
  • Crossley MD & Whitehouse S (2000) . Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society, 128(9), 2809-2818.
  • Whitehouse S (1997) . Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, 115(3), 309-320.
  • Whitehouse S (1996) A counterexample to a conjecture of Barr. Theory and Applications of Categories, 2, 36-39.
  • Robinson A & Whitehouse S (1996) . Journal of Pure and Applied Algebra, 111(1-3), 245-253.
  • Clarke F, Crossley MD & Whitehouse S () . K-Theory, 23(3), 237-250.

Conference proceedings

  • Robinson A & Whitehouse S (2002) . Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Vol. 132(2) (pp 197-234)

Other

  • Bergner J, Osorno A & Whitehouse S (2022) . Topology and its Applications, 316, 108098-108098.

Preprints

  • Cirici J, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2025) , arXiv.
  • Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2024) , arXiv.
  • Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2022) , arXiv.
  • Fu X, Guan A, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2020) , arXiv.
  • Livernet M, Whitehouse S & Ziegenhagen S (2018) , arXiv.
  • Cirici J, Santander DE, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2018) , arXiv.
  • Cirici J, Santander DE, Livernet M & Whitehouse S (2016) , arXiv.
  • Roman CIA, Livernet M, Robertson M, Whitehouse S & Ziegenhagen S (2014) , arXiv.
  • Livernet M, Roitzheim C & Whitehouse S (2011) , arXiv.
  • Roitzheim C & Whitehouse S (2009) , arXiv.
Research group

Grants

Past grants, as Principal Investigator
EPSRC
Rings Defined by Systems of Congruences and Applications in Topology Leverhulme
EPSRC
Teaching interests

I am an enthusiastic lecturer with wide experience of undergraduate teaching at all levels. For many years I have taught a popular level 3 Combinatorics module. Other courses I have taught in Sheffield include Algebraic Topology and Groups and Symmetries. Prior lecturing experience includes courses on Metric Spaces and Measure and Integration.I very much enjoy supervising project work. Level 4 MMath project topics I have supervised include Aperiodic Tilings, Integer Vauled Polynomials and Integer Partitions.

Teaching activities
MAS221 Analysis
MAS334 Combinatorics

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