Nicholas Kocurek

Research

I am broadly interested in theoretical computer science and particularly in beyond worst-case complexity theory of any kind. Recently I have been thinking about the structure of CSPs from a Sum-of-Squares perspective and about how Markov chains mix.

Publications

• Strong Refutation of Semirandom 𝑘-LIN over Larger Fields

  with Peter Manohar

  Manuscript

• Pseudorandomness Properties of Random Reversible Circuits

  with William Gay, William He, and Ryan O'Donnell

  In Submission

Other Writings

• Streaming Stable Matchings

  CMU 15-851 Course Project

Teaching

In Spring 2025, I am TAing 15-251: Great Ideas in Theoretical Computer Science and 15-455: Undergraduate Complexity Theory at CMU.

In the past I have TAed:

• CMU 15-251: Great Ideas in Theoretical Computer Science (Fall 2022-Fall 2024)
• CMU 15-252: More Great Ideas in Theoretical Computer Science (Fall 2024)
• CMU 15-354: Computational Discrete Math (Fall 2024)
• CMU 15-455: Undergraduate Complexity Theory (Spring 2024)

Along with teaching, I am also a member of CMU School of Computer Science's Student Advisory Council.

Miscellaneous

I am a big fan of mystery novels, animation, Pittsburgh sports, and playing social deduction and survival horror games with my friends.

Here is a simple diagram explaining the etymology of "kolache" in Texas.