Dr. Moon Duchin Delivers Inaugural Rosenblatt-Miller Lecture
On April 17, 2026, the Ohio State University Department of Mathematics marked the launch of its newly endowed Rosenblatt-Miller Lecture series with an inaugural address by Dr. Moon Duchin. Established through a generous gift from Joseph Rosenblatt and Gay Miller, the lecture series brings prominent mathematical voices to campus to address topics of broad scientific and public relevance. Dr. Duchin, an authority on the intersection of geometry, data science, and public policy, delivered a talk titled "What is the weight of a vote?" to an audience at Lazenby Hall.
Navigating the "Mathematical Quagmire"
Dr. Duchin’s lecture focused on the foundational legal principle of "One Person, One Vote"—the constitutional doctrine that the legal weight of citizens' votes should be as equal as possible. However, translating this ideal into a practical, quantifiable reality presents deep structural challenges. Dr. Duchin noted that when the U.S. Supreme Court first waded into legislative apportionment in the 1960s, dissenting Justice Felix Frankfurter famously warned that the judiciary was entering a "mathematical quagmire."
Rather than treating this quagmire as a barrier, Dr. Duchin demonstrated how contemporary mathematicians are treating it as a roadmap. Her presentation provided an overview of how tools from across the mathematical toolkit—including geometry, graph theory, and combinatorics—can be deployed to evaluate voting power. By utilizing algorithmic models to simulate thousands of potential redistricting maps, researchers can establish a "neutral" baseline. This computational framework allows courts and policymakers to identify when an enacted map deviates so significantly from the baseline that it dilutes the voting power of specific populations.
Academic Infrastructure at Chicago
The insights shared in the lecture reflect Dr. Duchin's broader institutional work at the University of Chicago, where she holds an appointment as a Professor of Computer Science and Data Science. At Chicago, she serves as the faculty director of the Data and Democracy Research Initiative. This collaborative hub is dedicated to exploring the mechanisms of representative democracy through a rigorous, data-driven lens.
Under her leadership, the initiative conducts research that spans several key areas:
Algorithmic Redistricting: Developing nonpartisan computational methods to analyze and score electoral maps for partisan or racial gerrymandering.
Alternative Electoral Systems: Evaluating the mathematical properties and systemic outcomes of alternative voting structures, such as ranked-choice voting.
Interdisciplinary Policy Engagement: Translating advanced quantitative models into accessible frameworks for legal scholars, judges, and independent redistricting commissions.
Career Evolution: From Pure Geometry to Applied Policy
Dr. Duchin’s path to data science began in pure mathematics. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 2005 under the supervision of Alex Eskin, focusing her early research on geometric topology, geometric group theory, and Teichmüller theory. She spent over a decade on the faculty at Tufts University, where she directed the interdisciplinary program in Science, Technology, and Society and founded the Metric Geometry and Gerrymandering Group (MGGG).
Over the course of her career, Dr. Duchin successfully bridged the gap between abstract mathematics and civic application. She has applied her research directly to the legal system, serving as an expert witness or consultant in high-stakes redistricting litigation across states such as Alabama, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Wisconsin. Her contributions to the discipline have been recognized with numerous accolades, including an NSF CAREER grant, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and her election as a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
The Department of Mathematics extends its appreciation to Dr. Duchin for launching the Rosenblatt-Miller Lecture series with a compelling presentation of how mathematical inquiry shapes contemporary civil rights and democratic infrastructure.