Speaker: Laura Scull
Title: What is half a point? An introduction to orbifolds and moduli spaces.
Abstract: A moduli space describes a class of geometric objects, and how these can be deformed into one another. These are increasingly showing up in physics (via string theory) and mathematics (via algebraic geometry). In studying moduli spaces, mathematicians have recognized that these are not ordinary spaces but rather `orbifolds', which contain fractions of points. I will discuss the elementary example of finding a moduli space to classify triangles, and show how natural geometric questions lead us to the more general orbifold setting. I will mention various ways of describing and understanding these, including my own recent work connecting these to spaces with symmetries. Only basic knowledge of the geometry of triangles will be needed as background.
Speaker: Erich McAlister
Title: Games and Strategies
Abstract: We will be playing games of a mathematical nature. It will be fun! In a talk to follow, we will discuss the mathematical strategies (with proofs!) for playing these games in an optimal way. This will be even more fun!!
Speaker: Veronika Furst
Title: The Opposite of Derivative
Abstract: What would happen if we defined a new
kind of "derivative" -- one that is a long-term rate of change instead of an
instantaneous rate of change? What kind of properties would this new
"derivative" have? And what would we call it? Someone already thought up a
meaning for the term "antiderivative," so we'll have to come up with
something else. Will we join the ranks of Newton and Leibniz or retreat
quietly and pretend the whole incident never happened? Come find out!
Speaker: Kathy Merrill
Title: Tilings in Wonderland
Abstract: Tilings, such as those that appear in M.C. Escher's art or in the Alhambra, have long been of interest to mathematicians, artists and scientists. The tiles we usually see have the property that identical copies of them can be moved around to cover the plane without overlap. This talk will focus on shapes that not only tile the plane by copies moved around, but also tile by copies expanded and contracted (like Alice nibbling the mushroom). Such a shape is called a wavelet set, and is related to the mathematical theory of image compression.
Speaker: Erich McAlister
Title: What do mathematicians do anyway?
Abstract: In this talk I will explore the answers to the question of what exactly mathematicians do, from a philosophical point of view. We will basically learn the answers from the Greeks through modern times.
A list of colloquia from last year can be found here.
2007-2008