Christoph Spiegel
I like using computational tools for theoretical mathematics. Lately, I have used flag algebras, semidefinite programming, machine learning, and discrete optimization to improve some long-standing bounds in extremal combinatorics and discrete geometry. Currently, I am exploring the areas of proof verification and assistance.
📬 Contact
- office
- Room 3036 at ZIB
- spiegel (at) zib.de
spiegel (at) campus.tu-berlin.de - homepage
- christophspiegel.berlin
- languages
- German, English, and French
🎓 Curriculum vitae
- since 2024
- Postdoc Representative at MATH+
- since 2022
- Deputy Department Head at ZIB
- since 2020
- Member of MATH+
- since 2020
- Researcher at ZIB
- 2016 to 2020
- Researcher at UPC
- Jun 2020
- Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics at UPC
- 2015 to 2016
- Member of BMS
- 2014 to 2015
- Research Assistant at ZIB
- Mar 2015
- M.Sc. in Mathematics at FUB
- Dec 2012
- B.Sc. in Mathematics at FUB
📝 Publications and preprints
Preprints
- Kiem, A., Parczyk, O., and Spiegel, C. (2024). Forcing Graphs to Be Forcing.
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Parczyk, O., and Spiegel, C. (2024). An Unsure Note on an Un-Schur Problem.
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Zimmer, M., Andoni, M., Spiegel, C., and Pokutta, S. (2023). PERP: Rethinking the Prune-Retrain Paradigm in the Era of LLMs.
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Zimmer, M., Spiegel, C., and Pokutta, S. (2022). Compression-aware Training of Neural Networks Using Frank-Wolfe.
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Combettes, C., Spiegel, C., and Pokutta, S. (2020). Projection-free Adaptive Gradients for Large-scale Optimization.
[arXiv]
[summary]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Pokutta, S., Spiegel, C., and Zimmer, M. (2020). Deep Neural Network Training with Frank-Wolfe.
[arXiv]
[summary]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Salia, N., Spiegel, C., Tompkins, C., and Zamora, O. (2019). Independent Chains in Acyclic Posets.
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
Conference proceedings
- Kiem, A., Pokutta, S., and Spiegel, C. (2024). The Four-color Ramsey Multiplicity of Triangles. Proceedings of the Discrete Mathematics Days.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Zimmer, M., Spiegel, C., and Pokutta, S. (2024). Sparse Model Soups: A Recipe for Improved Pruning Via Model Averaging. Proceedings of the International Conference on Learning Representations.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Kiem, A., Pokutta, S., and Spiegel, C. (2024). Categorification of Flag Algebras. Proceedings of the Discrete Mathematics Days.
[URL]
[BibTeX]
- Mundinger, K., Pokutta, S., Spiegel, C., and Zimmer, M. (2024). Extending the Continuum of Six-Colorings. Proceedings of the Discrete Mathematics Days.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Zimmer, M., Spiegel, C., and Pokutta, S. (2023). How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Retraining. Proceedings of the International Conference on Learning Representations.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Parczyk, O., Pokutta, S., Spiegel, C., and Szabó, T. (2023). Fully Computer-assisted Proofs in Extremal Combinatorics. Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence.
DOI: 10.1609/aaai.v37i10.26470
[URL]
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Rué, J. J., and Spiegel, C. (2023). The Rado Multiplicity Problem in Vector Spaces Over Finite Fields. Proceedings of the European Conference on Combinatorics, Graph Theory and Applications.
DOI: 10.5817/CZ.MUNI.EUROCOMB23-108
[URL]
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Parczyk, O., Pokutta, S., Spiegel, C., and Szabó, T. (2022). New Ramsey Multiplicity Bounds and Search Heuristics. Proceedings of the Discrete Mathematics Days.
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Rué, J. J., and Spiegel, C. (2018). On a Problem of Sárközy and Sós for Multivariate Linear Forms. Proceedings of the Discrete Mathematics Days.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Kusch, C., Rué, J. J., Spiegel, C., and Szabó, T. (2017). Random Strategies Are Nearly Optimal for Generalized Van Der Waerden Games. Proceedings of the European Conference on Combinatorics, Graph Theory and Applications.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
Full articles
- Parczyk, O., Pokutta, S., Spiegel, C., and Szabó, T. (2024). New Ramsey Multiplicity Bounds and Search Heuristics. Foundations of Computational Mathematics.
DOI: 10.1007/s10208-024-09675-6
[arXiv]
[code]
[BibTeX]
- Mundinger, K., Pokutta, S., Spiegel, C., and Zimmer, M. (2024). Extending the Continuum of Six-Colorings. Geombinatorics Quarterly, XXXIV.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Kamčev, N., and Spiegel, C. (2022). Another Note on Intervals in the Hales-Jewett Theorem. Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, 29(1).
DOI: 10.37236/9400
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Cao-Labora, G., Rué, J. J., and Spiegel, C. (2021-10). An Erdős-Fuchs Theorem for Ordered Representation Functions. Ramanujan Journal, 56, 183–2091.
DOI: 10.1007/s11139-020-00326-2
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Fabian, D., Rué, J. J., and Spiegel, C. (2021-08). On Strong Infinite Sidon and Bₕ Sets and Random Sets of Integers. Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series A, 182.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcta.2021.105460
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Corsten, J., Mond, A., Pokrovskiy, A., Spiegel, C., and Szabó, T. (2020-10). On the Odd Cycle Game and Connected Rules. European Journal of Combinatorics, 89.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejc.2020.103140
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Rué, J. J., and Spiegel, C. (2020). On a Problem of Sárközy and Sós for Multivariate Linear Forms. Revista Matemática Iberoamericana, 36(7), 2107–2119.
DOI: 10.4171/RMI/1193
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Candela, P., Serra, O., and Spiegel, C. (2020). A Step Beyond Freĭman’s Theorem for Set Addition Modulo a Prime. Journal De Théorie Des Nombres De Bordeaux, 32(1), 275–289.
DOI: 10.5802/jtnb.1122
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Kusch, C., Rué, J. J., Spiegel, C., and Szabó, T. (2019-09). On the Optimality of the Uniform Random Strategy. Random Structures & Algorithms, 55(2), 371–401.
DOI: 10.1002/rsa.20829
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Freĭman, G. A., Serra, O., and Spiegel, C. (2019). Additive Volume of Sets Contained in Few Arithmetic Progressions. INTEGERS, 19.
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Rué, J. J., Spiegel, C., and Zumalacárregui, A. (2018). Threshold Functions and Poisson Convergence for Systems of Equations in Random Sets. Mathematische Zeitschrift, 288, 333–360.
DOI: 10.1007/s00209-017-1891-2
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
- Spiegel, C. (2017). A Note on Sparse Supersaturation and Extremal Results for Linear Homogeneous Systems. Electronic Journal of Combinatorics, 24(3).
DOI: 10.37236/6730
[URL]
[arXiv]
[BibTeX]
🔬 Projects
Formal proof verification can both ensure proof correctness and provide new tools and insights to mathematicians. The goals of this project include creating resources for students and researchers, verifying relevant results, improving proof tactics, and exploring Machine Learning approaches.
This project aims to obtain new bounds in Extremal Combinatorics through an application of flag algebras. The goal is to both improve the underlying computational aspects for existing problems as well as to further develop the theory of flag algebras to extend it to new areas of application.
Extremal Combinatorics focuses on the maximum or minimum sizes of discrete structures with specific properties, posing significant challenges due to their complexity. Traditional computational approaches often fail due to exponential growth in search spaces, but recent AI advancements, especially in Reinforcement Learning, offer new potential. Applying these AI methods could provide insights into combinatorial problems while also enhancing the understanding of AI techniques in complex, sparse reward environments.
The performance of modern mixed-integer program solvers is highly dependent on a number of interdependent individual components. Using tools from machine learning, we intend to develop an integrated framework that is able to capture interactions of individual decisions made in these components with the ultimate goal to improve performance.
💬 Talks and posters
Conference and workshop talks
- Oct 2024
- Extending the Continuum of Six-Colorings
41st Kolloquium über Kombinatorik (KolKom), Heidelberg [PDF] - Sep 2024
- The Role of Machine Learning for Mathematics
5th Computational Optimization at Work (CO@Work), Berlin [PDF] [video] - Jul 2024
- Extending the Continuum of Six-Colorings
13th Discrete Mathematics Days (DMD), Alcalá de Henares [PDF] - Oct 2023
- The Role of Machine Learning for Mathematics
BMS RTA 8 - Practical Course, Berlin [PDF] - Aug 2023
- The Rado Multiplicity Problem in Vector Spaces Over Finite Fields
12th EUROCOMB Conference, Prague [PDF] - Aug 2023
- Computational Challenges in Flag Algebra Proofs
ICIAM 2023 Minisymposium: Advances in Optimization I, Tokyo [PDF] - Aug 2023
- Flag Algebras in Additive Combinatorics
5th DOxML Conference, Tokyo [PDF] - Jun 2023
- Towards Flag Algebras in Additive Combinatorics
FoCM 2023 Workshop I.3: Graph Theory and Combinatorics, Paris [PDF] - May 2023
- Towards Flag Algebras in Additive Combinatorics
15th Combinatorial and Additive Number Theory Conference (CANT), New York [PDF] - Mar 2023
- Computer-assisted Proofs in Extremal Combinatorics
Workshop on Optimization and Machine Learning, Waischenfeld [PDF] - Feb 2023
- Fully Computer-assisted Proofs in Extremal Combinatorics
37th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), Washington, DC [PDF] - Jan 2023
- Fully Computer-assisted Proof in Extremal Combinatorics
Combinatorial Optimization Workshop (Aussois), Aussois [PDF] - Dec 2022
- Leveraging Combinatorial Symmetries in Flag Algebra-based SDP Formulations
Workshop on Recent Advances in Optimization, Toronto [PDF] - Sep 2022
- Proofs in Extremal Combinatorics Through Optimization
6th ZIB-IMI-ISM-NUS-RIKEN-MODAL Workshop, Tokyo / Fukuoka [PDF] - Jul 2022
- New Ramsey Multiplicity Bounds and Search Heuristics
12th Discrete Mathematics Days (DMD), Santander [PDF] - Jun 2019
- Odd Cycle Games and Connected Rules
36th Postgraduate Combinatorial Conference (PCC), Oxford [PDF] - Jun 2019
- 1st GAPCOMB Workshop, Campelles
- Jun 2018
- On a Problem of Sárközy and Sós for Multivariate Linear Forms
11th Discrete Mathematics Days (DMD), Sevilla [PDF] - May 2018
- Going Beyond 2.4 in Freiman's 2.4k-theorem
10th Combinatorial and Additive Number Theory Conference (CANT), New York [PDF] - Sep 2017
- Rado Positional Games
The Music of Numbers Conference, Madrid [PDF] - Jun 2017
- Generalized Positional Van Der Waerden Games
Interactions with Combinatorics [PDF] - Mar 2017
- Joint TAU-FUB Workshop on Graph and Hypergraph Coloring
Research seminar talks
- Dec 2024
- Coloring the Plane with Neural Networks
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin [PDF] - Nov 2024
- An Unsure Talk on an Un-Schur Problem
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin - Feb 2023
- The Four-color Ramsey Multiplicity of Triangles
LIMDA Seminar, Barcelona [PDF] - Apr 2022
- New Ramsey Multiplicity Bounds and Search Heuristics
LIMDA Seminar, Barcelona - Nov 2019
- A Step Beyond Freiman's Theorem for Set Addition Modulo a Prime
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin - Nov 2019
- The Probabilistic Intuition in Positional Games
Research Seminar Large Networks and Random Graphs, Ilmenau - May 2019
- Intervals in the Hales-Jewett Theorem
Seminar on Combinatorics, Games and Optimisation, London - May 2019
- Intervals in the Hales-Jewett Theorem
Combinatorial Theory Seminar, Oxford - Feb 2019
- Extremal Set Theory Seminar, Budapest
- Dec 2018
- Intervals in the Hales-Jewett Theorem
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin - Mar 2018
- Going Beyond 2.4 in Freiman's 2.4k-theorem
GRAPHS at IMPA, Rio de Janeiro - Dec 2017
- On a Question of Sárközy and Sós
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin - Oct 2017
- Sparse Supersaturation and Extremal Results for Linear Homogeneous Systems
LIMDA Seminar, Barcelona - May 2017
- Random Strategies Are Nearly Optimal for Generalized Van Der Waerden Games
LIMDA Seminar, Barcelona - Mar 2016
- Threshold Functions for Systems of Equations in Random Sets
LIMDA Seminar, Barcelona - Feb 2016
- Van Der Waerden Games (II)
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin - Jan 2016
- Van Der Waerden Games (I)
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin - Dec 2015
- What Is Discrete Fourier Analysis?
"What is ...?" seminar [video] - Oct 2015
- Threshold Functions for Systems of Equations in Random Sets
Research Seminar Combinatorics, Berlin
Poster presentations
- Mar 2023
- A Fully Computer-assisted Proof in Extremal Combinatorics
Workshop on Optimization and Machine Learning, Waischenfeld [PDF] - Feb 2023
- A Fully Computer-assisted Proof in Extremal Combinatorics
37th AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AAAI), Washington, DC [PDF]
🌍 Research Stays and Visits
- Aug 2024
- Institute of Science Tokyo hosted by Katsuki Fujisawa
- May 2024
- Institute of Science Tokyo hosted by Katsuki Fujisawa
- Aug 2023
- National Taiwan University hosted by Shagnik Das
- Jul 2022
- Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya hosted by Juan José Rué
- Apr 2022
- Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya hosted by Juan José Rué
- Jul 2019
- Freie Universität Berlin hosted by Tibor Szabó
- May 2019
- University of Oxford hosted by David Conlon
- Feb 2019
- Alfréd Rényi Institute of Mathematics hosted by Ervin Győri
- Jul 2017
- Freie Universität Berlin hosted by Tibor Szabó
📅 Event Attendance
- Sep 2025
- Open Problems in Combinatorics and Graph Theory, Budapest
- Aug 2025
- 13th EUROCOMB Conference, Budapest
- Aug 2025
- 22nd RS&A Conference, Vienna
- May 2025
- 7th DOxML Conference, Kyoto
- Jul 2025
- 8th International Conference on Continuous Optimization (ICCOPT), Los Angeles
- Oct 2024
- 41st Kolloquium über Kombinatorik (KolKom), Heidelberg
- Sep 2023
- 5th Computational Optimization at Work (CO@Work), Berlin
- Jul 2024
- 5th GAPCOMB Workshop, Montserrat
- Sep 2022
- 6th ZIB-IMI-ISM-NUS-RIKEN-MODAL Workshop, Tokyo / Fukuoka
- Sep 2022
- DMV Annual Meeting, Berlin
- Jul 2022
- 3rd GAPCOMB Workshop, Montserrat
- Jul 2022
- 12th Discrete Mathematics Days (DMD), Santander
- Sep 2021
- 11th EUROCOMB Conference, Barcelona
- Oct 2019
- MFO Seminar 1943a, Oberwolfach
- Jun 2019
- 1st GAPCOMB Workshop, Campelles
- Jun 2019
- 36th Postgraduate Combinatorial Conference (PCC), Oxford
- May 2019
- 21st One-Day Meeting in Combinatorics
- Jun 2018
- 11th Discrete Mathematics Days (DMD), Sevilla
- May 2018
- 10th Combinatorial and Additive Number Theory Conference (CANT), New York
- May 2018
- Georgia Discrete Analysis Conference, Athens
- Oct 2017
- 1st BMS-BGSMath Junior Meeting, Barcelona
- Sep 2017
- The Music of Numbers Conference, Madrid
- Jun 2017
- Interactions with Combinatorics
- May 2017
- BGSMath course: Random Discrete Structures, Barcelona
- Apr 2017
- Interactions of harmonic analysis, combinatorics and number theory, Barcelona
- Mar 2017
- Joint TAU-FUB Workshop on Graph and Hypergraph Coloring
- Jan 2017
- 14th analytic algorithmics and combinatorics (ANALCO), Barcelona
- Jan 2017
- 28th symposium on discrete algorithms (SODA), Barcelona
- Jul 2016
- Symposium Diskrete Mathematik
- Jul 2016
- 10th Discrete Mathematics Days (DMD), Barcelona
- Jul 2016
- 7th European Congress of Mathematics (ECM), Berlin
- Feb 2016
- Joint FUB-TAU Workshop on Ramsey Theory
- Jan 2016
- Combinatorial and Additive Number Theory
- Sep 2015
- Cargèse Fall School on Random Graphs, Cargèse
- May 2015
- Berlin-Poznań Seminar in Discrete Mathematics, Berlin
- Oct 2014
- Methods in Discrete Structures: Polynomial Freimann-Ruzsa
👨🏫 Teaching
- winter 2024
- Lecturer for
Formal Proof Verification at FUB - summer 2024
- Lecturer for
Discrete Optimization (ADM II) at TUB - winter 2023
- Lecturer for
Introduction to Linear and Combinatorial Optimization (ADM I) at TUB - summer 2023
- Lecturer for
Analysis I und Lineare Algebra für Ingenieurwissenschaften at TUB - autumn 2018
- Assistant for Discrete Mathematics and Optimization at UPF
- autumn 2017
- Assistant for Discrete Mathematics and Optimization at UPF
- winter 2013
- Tutor for Analysis I (Lehramt) at FUB
- summer 2012
- Tutor for Analysis II (Lehramt) at FUB
- summer 2011
- Tutor for Analysis I (Lehramt) at FUB
📝 Organization and outreach
- Jun 2024
- Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften at Zuse Institute Berlin
- 2024
- Organization of the Zuse Research Seminar and Zuse Research Colloquium
- 2024
- Creation and maintenance of the Berlin Math Seminars overview page
- 2024
- Organization of ZIB40 events
- Jun 2023
- Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften at Zuse Insittute Berlin
- 2023
- Organization of the Zuse Research Seminar
- 2023
- Member of the organizing committee of the MATH+ Thematic Einstein Semester in Berlin
- Nov 2022
- Assisted in the organization of the Festkolloquium for Martin Aigner in Berlin
- Apr 2022
- Girls’ Day at Freie Universität Berlin
- Sep 2021
- Member of the organizing committee of the EUROCOMB conference in Barcelona
- Apr 2021
- Girls’ Day at Freie Universität Berlin
- Sep 2020
- Organised exercise session on Robust Machine Learning for CO@Work summer school in Berlin
- Oct 2017
- Member of the organizing committee of the BMS-BGSMath Junior Meeting in Barcelona
- Jul 2016
- Assisted in the organization of the Symposium Diskrete Mathematik in Berlin
- Jun 2016
- Assisted in the organization of the Discrete Mathematics Days in Barcelona
🎈 Miscellaneous
You can find some of my photography on instagram:
I also like designing the occasional conference poster: