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Welcome! I am postdoctoral researcher in mathematics, based in Hagen, Germany, where I work in the research group of Steffen Kionke.

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My research primarily focuses on infinite group theory and number theory, particularly on the representation growth of profinite groups.

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I completed my PhD in Düsseldorf under the supervision of Benjamin Klopsch and Britta Späth as a member of the research training group GRK 2240: Algebro-Geometric Methods in Algebra, Arithmetic and Topology funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

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Previously, I was an ALGANT master student at the Università degli Studi di Padova and Universiteit Leiden.

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Pronouns: she/her.

This photo shows Margherita Piccolo by Canal Saint-Martin in Paris on a crisp autumn day. She’s smiling, dressed warmly in a brown coat, striped scarf, and white sneakers. The canal, lined with bare trees and classic Parisian buildings, adds a calm, scenic backdrop with ducks floating in the water and soft sunlight breaking through the clouds
This is the old office of Margherita Piccolo — a quiet, sunlit academic space that blends intellect with warmth. A chalkboard filled with detailed group theory notes hints at deep mathematical work. To the side, shelves are stacked with papers and colorful posters. A couple of plants, one leafy and one tall and sparse, add life to the room. A brown cushioned chair sits by the wall, bathed in late-afternoon sunlight, casting soft shadows across the floor. It’s a peaceful, personal corner once used for focused thinking and quiet creativity.

Research

My research interests are directed towards group theory, representation theory, and number theory

In preparation

2026

with B. Klopsch and

B. Späth

Representation growth of quasi-semisimple profinite groups

Preprint

2026

with J. M. Petschick

Representation zeta functions of split extensions of SL_2^m(O)

Published 

2022

Acta Arithmetica 

On the 16-rank of class groups of Q(sqrt{-3p})

for primes p congruent to 1 modulo 4

Teaching

Fernuni in Hagen

Winter Semester 2025-2026

Proseminar über Arithmetik und Kombinatorik

Summer Semester 2026

Algebra

Summer Semester 2025

Gruppentheorie (Group Theory)

Heinrich Heine Universität Düsseldorf

Winter Semester 2024-2025

Mathematik für Informatik 1 (Mathematics for Information Technology 1)

Summer Semester 2024

Lineare Algebra I (Linear Algebra I)

Winter Semester 2023-2024

Kryptographie (Cryptography)

Mathematik für Informatik 3 (Mathematics for Information Technology 3)

Einführung in die Zahlentheorie (Introduction to Number Theory) 

Summer Semester 2023

This cozy photo features Ben the cat, a beautiful tabby with a soft, plush coat and expressive eyes. He’s perched elegantly on a woven placemat at a table, paws neatly tucked in front of him like he’s about to join a serious discussion—or maybe judge your lunch choices. The background shows a calm, lived-in home space with a bookcase, fridge, and a bit of art on the wall. Ben looks thoughtful, maybe even a little pensive, as if he’s pondering something quite profound (or just waiting for a treat).
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