Nicolai Reshetikhin's research is concerned primarily with mathematical physics, and covers a large number of mathematical issues of relevance to theoretical physics. He has made numerous important contributions to the theory of quantum integrable systems in statistical mechanics. At present, Reshetikhin is working on the mathematical aspects of semi-classical analysis in quantum field theory. His work also includes a number of algebraic problems in the theory of quantum invariants of knots and topological varieties.

As a part-time professor at the UvA, Reshetikhin will be continuing his research in mathematical physics and related disciplines. One of his key areas of focus will be the study of low-dimensional models in quantum field theory and statistical mechanics. Reshetikhin is attached to the Korteweg-de Vries Institute for Mathematics (KdVI).

Since 1992 Reshetikhin has been employed by the University of California (Berkeley, US), first as an associate professor and since 1993 as Professor of Mathematics. Prior to this he was attached to Harvard University as an assistant professor. Reshetikhin has held guest professorships at a range of institutions, including the University of Geneva, the ENS (L'École normale supérieure) in Paris, and LMU Munich. He is a member of the editorial boards of various journals, including Letters in Mathematical Physics.