Contact Information
Research Areas
Biography
Hello! My name is Ryoko. It's a pleasure to meet you!!
I'm going into the fourth year of my PhD. I'm working on understanding AI metacognition and machine learning from a probability perspective, with additional interest in simulating variable annuity portfolio features in actuarial and insurance contexts. I'm also interested in enumerative combinatorics and number theory (especially in a math contest-y style!)
I've TAed for many of the mainstream calculus courses and have graded for a variety of geometry and nonlinear programming courses.
I look forward to broadening my horizons even more during the rest of the program!
Research Interests
Number theory (mostly analytic) and enumerative combinatorics, as well as actuarial science and AI metacognition.
Research Description
I'm interested in possibly proving number-theoretic results on the number of allowed moves between proof states to formally prove a theorem statement, modeling formal theorem proving in graph-theoretic terms and considering proposal distributions from each proof state wrt the specific LLM being used.
Education
Mathematics MS, UIUC (December 2024).
Mathematics BA, UC Berkeley (December 2022).
Awards and Honors
Putnam Exam, Top 500 (2019, 2020).
Courses Taught
In Spring 2026, I was a grader for Math 225 (Introductory Matrix Theory). In Fall 2025, I was a grader for Math 484 (Nonlinear Programming), Math 402 (Non-Euclidean Geometry), Math 403 (Euclidean Geometry), and Math 119 (Ideas in Geometry).
I've also led a discussion section as a TA for each of the following:
Math 234, Spring 2025.
Math 221, Fall 2024.
Math 234, Spring 2024.
Math 231, Fall 2023.
Additional Campus Affiliations
President, Illini Math Tournament (2023 - present).