Stephanie Maaz

PhD, University of Waterloo | On the Job Market, smaaz@uwaterloo.ca

Stephanie Maaz

Salut :wave:, I recently completed (2021-25) my PhD at the University of Waterloo in the Algorithms and Complexity Group, where I worked on reconfiguration (transforming one solution into another via steps while maintaining feasibility) and solution discovery (repairing an infeasible configuration into a valid solution with minimal change), with a focus on parameterized complexity, structural graph parameters, kernelization, and logic-based meta-theorems. My supervisors were Naomi Nishimura and Amer E. Mouawad. I am currently on the job market.

My general research goal is to understand and design algorithms for problems arising in dynamic environments, where inputs change over time or solutions involve sequential adaptations, with a current focus on bounded (local) recourse. I am also interested in many classical graph or geometric problems, their dynamic settings variants, and in developing structure-aware or parameterized/approximation algorithms and (lossy) kernelization.

Publications

  • On Algorithmic Meta-Theorems for Solution Discovery: Tractability and Barriers with Nicolas Bousquet, Amer E. Mouawad, Naomi Nishimura, Sebastian Siebertz
    arXiv preprint, 2025 [arXiv]
  • Kernelization Complexity of Solution Discovery Problems with Mario Grobler, Amer E. Mouawad, Naomi Nishimura, Vijayaragunathan Ramamoorthi, Sebastian Siebertz
    ISAAC 2024 [arXiv] [Conference] [Slides]
  • Solution Discovery via Reconfiguration for Problems in P with Mario Grobler, Nicole Megow, Amer E. Mouawad, Vijayaragunathan Ramamoorthi, Daniel Schmand, Sebastian Siebertz
    ICALP 2024 [arXiv] [Conference]
  • Parameterized Complexity of Reconfiguration of Atoms with Alexandre Cooper, Amer E. Mouawad, Naomi Nishimura
    WALCOM 2022, Algorithmica 2024 [arXiv] [Conference] [Journal]
  • Algorithms to Solve Atom Reconfiguration Problems. I. Redistribution-Reconfiguration Algorithm with Barry Cimring, Remy El Sabeh, Marc Bacvanski, Izzat El Hajj, Naomi Nishimura, Amer E. Mouawad, Alexandre Cooper
    Phys. Rev. A 108, 023107, 2023 [arXiv] [Journal]
  • Algorithms to Solve Atom Reconfiguration Problems. II. Assignment-Rerouting-Ordering Algorithm with Remy El Sabeh, Jessica Bohm, Zhiqian Ding, Naomi Nishimura, Izzat El Hajj, Amer E. Mouawad, Alexandre Cooper
    Phys. Rev. A 108, 023108, 2023 [arXiv] [Journal]

Teaching and Selected Service

Teaching Assistant, University of Waterloo (2021-24)
CS245 Logic and Computation, CS251 Computer Organization & Design

Referee
SIAM Journal on Discrete Mathematics

External Reviewer
WG'23, ICALP'25, IWOCA'26

Senator, University of Waterloo (2023-25)
Participated in university governance on academic programs, curriculum changes, and graduate research and other regulations

Community Service Volunteer, CCECS, American University of Beirut (2013-17)
Led math tutorials for Palestinian refugees preparing for standardized tests (SAT, ACT); tutored Syrian refugee students at NASMA Learning Center

Community Service Organizer, USAID, Lebanon (2015-17)
Worked on a team to secure funding and collaborate with local communities to open an ancient cultural wilderness trail