Calendar

Posted October 9, 2026

Informal Combinatorics Seminar

Gyaneshwar Agrahari, LSU
Graph Connectivity: Connections Within and Beyond

How hard is it to disconnect a graph? This simple question leads to some of the central ideas in graph theory. We will explore vertex and edge connectivity, see how disjoint paths provide another way to understand robustness through Menger’s theorem, and look at what stronger connectivity assumptions force a graph to look like. We will finish with examples from planar graphs and triangulations, where high connectivity creates especially rigid structure. The talk will be informal and picture-driven, with an emphasis on intuition rather than technical proofs.

Event contact: jgarc86@lsu.edu

Posted August 26, 2026

Informal Analysis Seminar Questions or comments?

Shrinkal Wagle, Louisiana State University
TBD (PDEs)

Posted September 15, 2026

Geometry and Topology Seminar Seminar website

Ian Cavey, University of Massachusetts Amherst
TBA

Event contact: Kyle Binder

Posted August 27, 2026

Informal Geometry and Topology Seminar Questions or comments?

Fabian Espinoza de Osambela, Louisiana State University
TBD

TBD

Posted September 30, 2026
Last modified October 8, 2026

Control and Optimization Seminar Questions or comments?

Franco Blanchini, University of Udine, Italy IEEE Fellow, IFAC Fellow
Control Theory and Mechanisms

Mathematics has recently gained recognition as a language for addressing problems in biology, biochemistry, and medicine. Control theory is a branch of mathematics that draws on tools from several mathematical disciplines. Many techniques originally developed to solve control problems can be adapted to address new and relevant questions, both practical and curiosity-driven, in other fields. This talk focuses on the structural analysis of control systems, with the aim of understanding how mechanisms work, why they behave in a certain way, and to what extent they can perform their intended functions reliably, even in the presence of perturbations and disturbances. The first part introduces motivating examples from disciplines outside control theory, illustrating how a control-theoretic approach can provide powerful insights into their underlying principles. The second part introduces the notions of structural and robust properties, discussing paradigmatic case studies from the literature. Robust stability analysis is approached from an inverse perspective: "We know that this system is stable, but why is it so remarkably stable?" Other fundamental concepts, such as (perfect) adaptation, structural steady-state analysis, graph-based loop analysis, and aggregation, are also discussed. The third part presents applications from biology and biochemistry, illustrating the potential impact that control theory, suitably adapted, can have on these disciplines. It highlights how interdisciplinary research can bring fresh perspectives and new challenges to control theorists.

Posted October 6, 2026

LSU SIAM Student Chapter

Jeremy Shahan, Louisiana State University
Industry Speaker

Jeremy Shahan, who graduated with his Ph.D from LSU in 2025, is visiting to give a talk about his work as a Finite Element Developer at Deep South Crane and Rigging, LLC.