Nishant Malik Headshot

Nishant Malik

Associate Professor, Mathematics

School of Mathematics and Statistics
College of Science
nxmsma@rit.edu
585-475-5439
Office Hours
Mon 2:30 pm-3:30 pm, Wed 2:30 pm-3:30 pm, and Thu 2:30 pm-4:30 pm
Office Location
GOS-3348

Nishant Malik

Associate Professor, Mathematics

School of Mathematics and Statistics
College of Science

Education

BS, MS, University of Delhi (India), M.Tech, University of Hyderabad (India), Ph.D., University of Potsdam (Germany)

Bio

Dr. Malik did his Ph.D. at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany under the supervision of renowned mathematical physicist Juergen Kurths. Subsequently, the Physical Society of Berlin awarded him the Carl Ramsauer Prize in 2012 for his Ph.D. work. Before joining RIT, he worked as a postdoc at Dartmouth College and UNC-Chapel Hill. Dr. Malik has a wide range of research interests in data-driven analysis and modeling of complex systems. In his research, he employs tools from network science, the theory of nonlinear and stochastic dynamical systems, and applied statistics and enjoys working on mathematical problems across disciplines in natural and social sciences. For more information, please visit Dr. Malik's personal webpage and the Complexity Lab @RIT his research group page. 

nxmsma@rit.edu
585-475-5439
Personal Links
Personal Website
ORCID
Publication Database
Curriculum Vitae
Google Scholar
LinkedIn
Areas of Expertise
Complex Systems
Data Science
Dynamical Systems
Networks
Applied Mathematics
Computational Mathematics
Stochastic Processes
Mathematical Modeling

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
Giammarese, Adam, et al. "Tree-based learning for high-fidelity prediction of chaos." Scientific Reports 15. 41967 (2025): 1-11. Print.
Lee, Hsuan-Wei, Yi-Hsuan Huang, and Nishant Malik. "Adaptive network dynamics and behavioral contagion in multi-state drug use propagation." Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 202. Part 1 (2026): 117462. Print.
James, Alexander, et al. "Detecting Paleoclimate Transitions With Laplacian Eigenmaps of Recurrence Matrices (LERM)." Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology 39. (2024): e2023PA004700. Print.
Giammarese, Adam, Jacob Brown, and Nishant Malik. "Reconfiguration of Amazon’s connectivity in the climate system." Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science 34. (2024): 13134. Print.
Bhuyan, K, et al. "Landslide topology uncovers failure movements." Nature Communications 15. 1 (2024): 2633. Print.
Cheung, Kevin K.W., et al. "A review of synchronization of extreme precipitation events in monsoons from complex network perspective." Journal of Hydrology 651. 132604 (2025): 132604. Print.
James, Alexander, et al. "Regime Shifts in Holocene Paleohydrology as Recorded by Asian Speleothems." Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology 40. 1 (2025): e2024PA004974. Print.
John, Nicholas and Nishant Malik. "Automated discovery of analytical models for epidemic dynamics on coevolving networks." Elsevier Journal of Computational Science 67. 101968 (2023): 1877-7503. Print.
McDanold, Jenna S and Nishant Malik. "Spatially extended radiant heat fire model." Physical Review E 107. 3 (2023): 34133. Print.
Jacobs, Ivan, et al. "In silico Antibody-Peptide Epitope prediction for Personalized cancer therapy." Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics 9. (2023): 1-12. Print.
Rana, Kamal, Nishant Malik, and Ugur Ozturk. "Landsifier v1.0: a Python library to estimate likely triggers of mapped landslides." Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 22. (2022): 3751–3764. Print.
Malik, Nishant, David Spencer, and Quang Neo Bui. "Power in the U.S. political economy: A network analysis." J Associate Inf Sci Technol.. (2021): 1-13. Print.
Rana, Kamal, Ugur Ozturk, and Nishant Malik. "Landslide Geometry Reveals its Trigger." Geophysical Research Letters. (2021): e2020GL090848. Print.
Malik, Nishant. "Uncovering Transitions in Paleoclimate Time Series and the Climate Driven Demise of an Ancient Civilization." Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science 30. (2020): 83108. Print.
Malik, Nishant and Ugur Ozturk. "Rare Events in Complex Ssystems: Understandingand Prediction." Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science 30 (9), 090401 30. (2020): 90401. Print.
Lee, Hsuan-Wei, et al. "Social clustering in epidemic spread on coevolving networks." Physical Review E 99. 62301 (2019): 1-14. Print.
Ozturk, Ugur, et al. "A Network‐based Comparative Study of Extreme Tropical and Frontal Storm Rainfall Over Japan." Climate Dynamics 53. (2019): 521–532. Print.
Barnett, Ian, et al. "EndNote: Feature-based classification of networks." Network Science. (2019): 1-7. Print.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Malik, Nishant. "Data-Driven Modeling of Complex Systems." Frontiers in Geosciences. Los Alamos National Lab. Los Alamos, NM. 21 Nov. 2022. Lecture.
Malik, Nishant, et al. "Understanding and Prediction of RegionalClimate Phenomena using Climate Network Analysis." SIAM Conference on Application of Dynamical Systems, Minisymposium on Dynamical Systems on Networks: Stability and Applications. SIAM. Online, Virtual Conference. 27 May 2021. Conference Presentation.
Malik, Nishant. "Network Classification and Applications to Climate Forecasting." SIAM Conference on Discrete Mathematics (Minisymposium on Graph Theory and Machine Learning). SIAM. Online, US. 21 Jul. 2021. Conference Presentation.
Malik, Nishant. "Uncovering Dynamical Transitions in Paleoclimate Time Series." Third Northeast Regional Conference on Complex Systems. Department of Mathematics, University at Buffalo, SUNY. Buffalo, NY (ONLINE), NY. 3 Apr. 2020. Conference Presentation.
Malik, Nishant. "Integrating Methods of Network Science, Dynamical Systems, and Machine Learning for Data Analysis." Chapman Chair Lecture Series: Complex Systems Meet Machine Learning:From Basics to Real Applications,. CNSM, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Fairbanks, Alaska. 28 May 2019. Lecture.

Currently Teaching

IMGS-699
Imaging Science Graduate Co-op
0 Credits
This course is a cooperative education experience for graduate imaging science students.
IMGS-890
Research & Thesis
1-6 Credits
Doctoral-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.
IMGS-891
Continuation of Thesis
0 Credits
Continuation of Thesis
MATH-182
Calculus II
4 Credits
This is the second in a two-course sequence. It emphasizes the understanding of concepts, and using them to solve physical problems. The course covers techniques of integration including integration by parts, partial fractions, improper integrals, applications of integration, representing functions by infinite series, convergence and divergence of series, parametric curves, and polar coordinates.
MATH-495
Undergraduate Research in Mathematical Sciences
1-3 Credits
This course is a faculty-directed project that could be considered original in nature. The level of work is appropriate for students in their final two years of undergraduate study.
MATH-498
Independent Study in Mathematical Sciences
1-3 Credits
This course is a faculty-guided investigation into appropriate topics that are not part of the curriculum.
MATH-790
Research & Thesis
0-9 Credits
Masters-level research by the candidate on an appropriate topic as arranged between the candidate and the research advisor.
MATH-791
Continuation of Thesis
0 Credits
Continuation of Thesis
MATH-799
MATH GRADUATE Independent Study
1-3 Credits
Independent Study

In the News

  • January 30, 2026

    a headshot of Adam Giammarese

    Mathematical modeling alumnus wins early career award

    RIT alumnus Adam Giammarese’s work in chaos theory has earned him the Edward N. Lorenz Early Career Award, an annual recognition by the publication Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science.

  • May 14, 2024

    a road is shown after being taken out by a landslide.

    Researchers introduce new way to predict landslides

    Prevention Web highlights a study co-authored by Nishant Malik, assistant professor in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, about developing a new method using machine learning to accurately predict landslide movements, aiding global risk assessment efforts.

  • April 8, 2024

    a rock landslide is shown with a man taking a photo in the foreground and mountains in the background.

    Researchers introduce new way to predict landslides

    Landslides are one of the most destructive natural disasters on the planet, causing billions of dollars of damage and devastating loss of life every year. A global team of researchers has provided help for those who work to predict landslides and risk evaluations.

More News