Alexander Bivolcic

Biography

Dr. Alexander Bivolcic is an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Embry-Riddle Worldwide. He earned a B.S. in Mathematical Physics in 2020, followed by an M.S. in Physics in 2022 and a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics in 2025 at the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Bivolcic was a visiting scholar for the Isaac Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences at both the University of Cambridge and Northumbria University.

Dr. Bivolcic’s interests are in the field of physical applied mathematics, specifically around nonlinear wave equations. The study of these equations is especially attractive because it offers a unique combination of interesting mathematics and concrete physical/technological applications. While many physical models today are linear, nature has shown time and time again that a multitude of common phenomena are non-linear. Even the simple pendulum is no longer a linear problem once the pendulum is free to rotate through large angles.

Dr. Bivolcic has chosen to focus on the subfield of dispersive hydrodynamics, with the majority of the focus centered on (2+1)D hydrodynamics. He has written on the dispersive regularization of gradient catastrophe in shallow water waves. The beauty of this field is that these nonlinear dispersive equations are universal models. While he will often use water waves as an illustrative example of the dynamics, the mathematics and physics have been shown to have applications in Bose-Einstein condensates, optics, plasma physics and atmospheric physics as well.

In addition to his research, Dr. Bivolcic has a passion for teaching. He integrates contemporary pedagogy and educational technologies into his courses to help students achieve success and truly enjoys working with students. Dr. Bivolcic instills his enthusiasm and passion for physics and mathematics into his students and is deeply committed to helping students reach their full potential. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of students relating and applying what they learn in his courses to their majors and future careers. Furthermore, Dr. Bivolcic has informally advised and mentored numerous undergraduate and graduate students in both mathematics and physics, offering his unique perspectives from his interdisciplinary graduate studies.

In his personal time, Alex enjoys the flourishing sport of disc golf. His students and collaborators will often see his wall of discs in the backdrop of his meetings. He also enjoys skiing in the winter months and follows Premier League soccer.

Education

• Ph.D. - Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics, University at Buffalo
• M.S. - Master of Science in Physics, University at Buffalo
• B.S. - Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Physics, University at Buffalo