Fall 2020
Tuesdays, 4:35-5:35 PM, Online (Zoom)
MATH 6960-001
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 September | Slide Karaoke | Alex Beams Abstract: Email Peter (mcdonald [at] math [dot] utah [dot] edu) a PowerPoint slide with anything* on it at all before 4:00 PM on Tuesday, September 1 and he will randomly place it into my slide deck. I will not see any of the slides before the talk, but will try to make a coherent presentation nontheless. We will see how many I manage to get through in thirty minutes. Mathematical content is encouraged, but not required. *anything you would feel comfortable emailing to your own mother, that is. |
| 8 September | The Mathematics of Pool Testing | Hannah Hoganson Abstract: As schools open up, they need the ability to test large populations for Covid-19, but across the country we still have test shortages and delays in reporting results. One strategy that is used to increase testing capacity is pool testing, where many samples are combined and tested as a group. Varying claims have been made about how many more people could be tested if we widely employ this method. In this talk we will get into the numbers of pool testing and talk about some of the practical limitations. CANCELLED |
| 15 September | Mathematics in Arts | Trung Chau Abstract: The Golden ratio appearing in The Birth of Venus by Botticelli or The Last Supper by Da Vinci is a classic example of mathematics in arts. In this talk, I will show how mathematics manifesting itself in famous works of art in very different forms. |
| 22 September | Fun Night! | Fun & Friendship Abstract: |
| 29 September | Individual and Global Impacts of Wildfires | Keshav Patel Abstract: Wildfires, like those burning on the west coast, have far reaching impacts. In Salt Lake City, we have had many concerns about air quality, but smoke has also travelled to the other side of the country, and even across the Atlantic Ocean! This talk will be an overview of wildfire smoke and its effects on multiple lengthscales. We will look at the mathematics/chemistry/biology of how wildfire smoke is created, travels, and deposits, as well as its effects on the human body. |
| 6 October | Feuds in Mathematics | Trent DeGiovanni Abstract: Broadly speaking, people tend to see mathematics as an objective discipline studied by mild-mannered eccentrics. However, like any group of people, there have been mathematicians capable of extreme rage, petty jealousy, and even violence. In this talk, based on Hal Hellman's "Great Feuds in Mathematics," we turn our attention to some of these mathematicians and the conflicts they were embroiled in. |
| 13 October | Professor Panel: Their Research in a Nutshell | AWM Abstract: Curious about what types of research the professors in our department do? Want to meet new people and learn about new math? Then this event is for you! Come hear six professors summarize their research in only five minutes each. The second half of this event will be an informal meet-and-greet, where you can chat with the professors and their students. |
| 20 October | Understanding the Polar Vortex | Julie Sherman Abstract: As winter approaches and we get amped for ski season, winds in the stratosphere are amping up as the polar jet strengthens. The stability of the polar jet is what controls the polar vortex - a cold mass of air circulating above the poles. When it breaks down we experience long-lasting spells of extreme cold and snow which, in recent years, has been given names like Snowpocalypse, Snowmaggedon, or simply the Polar Vortex. In this talk we will learn more about the physics behind these weather events and analyze a mathematical model to better understand it. |
| 27 October | Computing in the Natural World | Anna Nelson Abstract: In the realm of biology, living organisms can perform immensely complicated tasks both quickly and without much error! Such processes include gene regulation, active/passive transport, and self assembly. In the field of natural computing, these tasks are viewed as information processing, which the cell/organism has a programmed computational method to "solve" these "problems" in nature. Natural computing investigates and analyzes the computational processes observed in nature, as well as human-designed computing inspired by natural processes. In this talk, we will examine an example of computation in nature and its applications to the traveling salesperson problem. |
| 3 November | Nilima Nigam | AWM Speaker Abstract: |
| 10 November | Venn Diagrams: Beyond Math 1030 | Hannah Hoganson Abstract: In Math 1030 we use circle Venn Diagrams to show relationships between sets and to analyze deductive arguments. However, circles are not the best choice of shape for representing all possible relationships between sets. From this simple starting point, many involved combinatorial questions quickly arise. In this talk we will make precise the definition of Venn Diagram, prove that no four-circle Venn Diagram exists, explore symmetry properties, and discuss current combinatorial research on Venn Diagrams. |
| 17 November | Christine Berkesch | AWM-RTG Speaker Abstract: |
| 24 November | The German Tank Problem | Eli Clark Abstract: There is a saying that "infantry wins battles, logistics wins wars." This was especially true in the Second World War, where much time and effort was spent by all sides determining their own and their enemy's logistical capabilities. One example of note is the 'German Tank Problem,' where British and American intelligence agencies used various statistical techniques to determine German vehicle production levels with remarkable accuracy. In this talk we will look at the history of this problem and how maximum likelihood estimation was used in solving it. |
| 1 December | Mathematics of AI | Andy Liu Abstract: Artificial intelligence is present everywhere, and it is powerful. It runs our smart assistants and smart devices, it is used in large scale business operations, it has beat world champions in many games, and of course, it makes you scroll on Facebook and Instagram for longer. We will explore the math that drives modern AI in an attempt to demystify the blackbox and ask questions about just how "intelligent" AI currently is, and how much more there is to go. |