Mehmet F. Arikan

Research interest

My area of research is geometry and topology. Specifically, I am interested in the classification problem of the contact structures in dimension three, distinguishing tight contact structures from overtwisted ones, and the various interactions between the contact geometry and the topology of the underlying 3-manifolds. In addition, the understanding the connections between symplectic (or Stein) structures on 4-manifolds and the associated contact structures on the boundary 3-manifolds is also in my research area. Especially, I am interested in weak/strong and symplectic/Stein fillings of contact 3-manifolds.

I am also interested in the contact and Stein manifolds of higher dimensions, and $G_2$-structures.

Publications

1) Construction of Surface Bundles with Nonzero Signature (M.S. Thesis)

2) On the Support Genus of a Contact Structure

3) Planar Contact Structures with Binding Number Three

4) Topological Invariants of Contact Structures and Planar Open Books (Ph.D. Thesis)

More information is coming soon.