Each year more and more foreigners study and work at the University of Warsaw. We would like to present some of them on our website. The first person is Dr. Lucas Pastor, a postdoc at the Institute of Informatics of UW.

Dr. Lucas Pastor comes from France. He graduated from the Université Grenoble-Alpes where he defended his doctoral thesis last year. Right after the graduation, he decided to join the research team of Dr. Marcin Pilipczuk from the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Mechanics of UW.

“Computer scientists have an international e-mail list where they can post information. I have seen that Dr. Pilipczuk was looking for postdocs to work on his ERC project. Also, a friend of mine told me about the grant and this possibility, so I have decided to apply,” says Dr. Lucas Pastor.

The young scientist is a member of the team of Dr. Marcin Pilipczuk who received a prestigious European Research Council grant on a project entitled “CUTACOMBS: Cuts and decompositions: algorithms and combinatorial properties”. The project’s focus is on structural graph theory and parameterized complexity, including:

• structure of separations in directed graphs, with applications to parameterized algorithms;
• approximability of the disjoint paths problem in various settings;
• structure of hereditary graph classes, such as graph excluding a fixed graph as an induced subgraph, with algorithmic and graph-theoretical applications.

“Theoretical computer science is computer science but from the mathematical point of view. Basically we are dealing with maths. For instance, we create algorithms based on mathematical properties. This can be seen as a recipe to solve a problem,” explains Dr. Pastor. “I am very glad that I have the possibility to work with Dr. Marcin Pilipczuk. He and his brother – Dr. Michał Pilipczuk – are well known in the world of theoretical computer science. They are specialists. I can learn a lot from them,” adds.

The young scientist stresses that the research team he is working in is very strong. Scientists exchange knowledge and ideas as well as participate in international conferences.

Dr. Lucas Pastor came to Poland for one year. He did not know a lot about the country and its capital. “I did not hear much about Poland, however, I received all information I needed before my arrival. When I came here, I was positively surprised. Warsaw is very beautiful and inspiring – there are many places to go to. I’m fully satisfied. I do not have any problems in communicating with Poles. People speak English and they are really helpful. I can always ask someone on the street and receive help. The level of English in Poland is higher than in France, definitely,” says Dr. Pastor.