Posted March 14, 2005
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Keisler Lounge
Bogdan Oporowski, Mathematics Department, LSU
A Brief Introduction to Graph Theory
Posted April 4, 2005
5:00 pm James E. Keisler Mathematics Lounge
Natalia Ptitsyna, LSU
Graduate Student
Traffic Flow on a Highway
The problem will be approached in analogy to fluid flow.
Posted March 29, 2006
Last modified February 20, 2022
Lawrence Smolinsky, Mathematics Department, LSU
Ancient Constructions and the Modern Formulation
This talk is part I of “Geometric Constructions with Ellipses.” Part II will be given on April 19th by Aliska Gibbins.
Mathematicians and philosophers of Ancient Greece studied the problems of trisecting a general angle, doubling the cube, and squaring the circle. They tried to accomplish these constructions using only a straight edge and compass. While these methods were unsuccessful, they also examined allowing other constructions, devices, and curves. These problems were a major force in the development of mathematics. For example, Menaechmus, the discoverer of conic sections, made his
discovery while working on the problem of doubling the cube.
We are most concerned with constructions with straight edge, compass, and conics. Pappus (290–350) gave two trisection constructions with hyperbolas. Another trisection construction—this time with a parabola—is due to René Descartes in his 1637 La Géométrie. Among the results we show is that one can trisect a general angle and double the cube using ellipses. (One can also construct the heptagon and determine the field of elliptically constructible numbers.)
Posted March 29, 2006
Last modified February 20, 2022
Aliska Gibbins, Tulane
Elliptic Constructions
This talk is part II of “Geometric Constructions with Ellipses.” Part I was given on April 5th by Larry Smolinsky.
Mathematicians and philosophers of Ancient Greece studied the problems of trisecting a general angle, doubling the cube, and squaring the circle. They tried to accomplish these constructions using only a straight edge and compass. While these methods were unsuccessful, they also examined allowing other constructions, devices, and curves. These problems were a major force in the development of mathematics. For example, Menaechmus, the discoverer of conic sections, made his
discovery while working on the problem of doubling the cube.
We are most concerned with constructions with straight edge, compass, and conics. Pappus (290–350) gave two trisection constructions with hyperbolas. Another trisection construction—this time with a parabola—is due to René Descartes in his 1637 La Géométrie. Among the results we show is that one can trisect a general angle and double the cube using ellipses. (One can also construct the heptagon and determine the field of elliptically constructible numbers.)
Posted November 2, 2006
Last modified February 20, 2022
Applications of Statistics to Public Health Issues
Professors Lynn R. LaMotte, Qingzhao Yu, and Julia Volaufova from the School of Public Health in the LSU Health Sciences Center will come to speak.
Posted February 12, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Presentations about Research Experience For Undergraduates (REUs)
This will include presentations by Professors Lawrence Smolinsky and William Hoffman about possible paid summer research jobs.
Posted February 13, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
More Presentations about Research Experience For Undergraduates (REUs)
This will include presentations by Cecil Taylor Alumni Professor Robert Perlis and possibly other professors about possible paid summer research jobs.
Posted March 8, 2007
Last modified March 2, 2021
Charles Neal Delzell, Mathematics Department, LSU
On Hilbert's 17th Problem
Posted March 14, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Pramod Achar, Mathematics Department, LSU
Regular Complex Polytopes
This talk will be understandable to undergraduates.
Posted March 20, 2007
5:00 pm Keisler Lounge (321 Lockett)
Padmanabhan Sundar, Mathematics Department, LSU
Large Deviations and Rare Events
Posted March 28, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Rick Barnard, LSU Department of Mathematics
Graduate Student
What Is A Control System?!
Posted April 23, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Sharon Besson, Cain Center
Geaux Teach Program Manager
Geaux Teach: LSU's Secondary Teacher Preparation Program
The Geaux Teach program was modeled after the UTeach program developed at the University of Texas at Austin. This new model is based on apprenticeship, much like that found in other professions such as the medical profession. Prospective teachers get their undergraduate degree in their content areas with a secondary education concentration. In the Geaux Teach program, the teaching of teacher candidates has become a collaborative effort between content area researchers, education professors, and practicing mentor teachers. The heart of the apprenticeship program is the step courses: three of the four education classes are paired with a 1 hour lab run by a content area research professor; the course + lab includes 40 hours in a high/middle school classroom observing, tutoring, teaching and being mentored by a high/middle school teacher. These classes are taken in the three semesters leading up to student teaching, and step up the level of teaching each semester. In their education class students learn theory and pedagogy, including how to appropriately use technology and how to teach in culturally diverse settings. Further information will be available at Besson’s lecture.
Posted October 1, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Leonard F. Richardson, Mathematics Department, LSU
An Informal Presentation about Graduate Study in Mathematics
Posted October 15, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
John Etnyre, Georgia Institute of Technology
Knot Colorings—From Grade School to Grad School (and Back?) in One Hour
Knots in strings and ropes have fascinated people for millennia but have only been a subject of serious mathematical inquiry for the last century or so. Their study is now a fundamental and central part of low-dimensional topology and string theory indicates they might, in some subtle and deep way, be related to how the universe works! After a brief introduction to knots as mathematical objects, I will discuss one of the simplest ways to study them, that is by coloring them. Yes, that’s right, by pulling out your good old crayons and coloring (but of course we will need a few rules about how to color to make this useful). Once we see that this simple idea can be surprisingly powerful, I will discuss how it is in fact related to the fairly sophisticated notion of representations of the fundamental group of the knot complement. (I will define and discuss all these notions.) This is a great example of the common theme in low dimensional topology that one can frequently take fairly sophisticated things (like representations, group actions, holomorphic curves…) and turn them into a fairly simple (combinatorial) thing (like colorings, polynomials, convex polygons…). This interaction between the sophisticated and the simple is one of the beautiful and appealing things about low dimensional topology.
Posted October 22, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Alex Iosevich , University of Missouri–Columbia
The Cauchy–Schwarz inequality or… if the Elephant is fat, then there must be a way to place a mirror to make this obvious…
We use the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality to see that if the set occupied by the
elephant in three dimensions has large volume, then at least one of its projections onto the coordinate planes has a large area. We then explore a similar question in higher dimensions, encountering fascinating analytic and combinatorial objects along the way.
The speaker got his B.S. in mathematics at the University of Chicago in 1989 and a Ph.D. from UCLA in 1993 under the direction of Chris Sogge. He held a postdoctoral position at McMaster from 1993–95, a tenure track position at Wright State University from 1995–1998, and a tenure track and then a tenured position at Georgetown from 1998–2000. He then moved to the University of Missouri where he is now a Professor of Mathematics. In addition to math, the speaker spends way too much of his time reading about the history of medieval Europe.
Posted November 1, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
An Overview of Spring 2008 Math Course Offerings Followed by Elections
Posted November 5, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
James Madden, Mathematics Department, LSU
Conservation of Momentum: Euclid, Newton and Noether
The key idea of Euclid’s proof that triangles with equal bases and equal heights have the same area was used by Newton to prove the conservation of angular momentum. At a deeper level, both proofs are about symmetry. This talk tells the story of all of this—and more.
Posted November 11, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
Bin Li, LSU Department of Experimental Statistics
Introduction to Data Mining
Recently, data mining has been attracting more and more attention in statistics and mathematics. This presentation will start with some motivating examples from real applications. Then I will introduce some of the latest data mining methods and illustrate them in the examples. Finally, I will discuss some challenges and opportunities specifically for mathematicians and statisticians to dive into this area.
The speaker received his B.S. in biophysics at Fudan University in 1998 and his Ph.D. in Statistics from The Ohio State University in 2006. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Experimental Statistics, LSU. His research has mainly focused on the interdisciplinary area between statistics and machine learning.
Posted November 13, 2007
Last modified February 20, 2022
How to Apply for REUs
The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funds many research opportunities for undergraduates through its REU Sites program. An REU
Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific project, where he/she works closely with faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduates supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. The speaker will give advice on how to apply for REU jobs.
The speaker is the Cecil Taylor Alumni Professor of Mathematics at LSU. He is a noted scholar in the area of algebraic number theory, and is one of three LSU professors who organize the LSU mathematics REU.
Posted February 5, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Pallavi Dani, Department of Mathematics, LSU
Wallpaper Groups
Anyone who has redecorated a room knows that choosing between the hundreds of wallpaper patterns in the store is a daunting task. In this talk I hope to convince you that the number of distinct wallpaper patterns is surprisingly small.
Posted February 12, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Peggy Wang, Baton Rouge Transition To Teaching Program
Project Director
Alternative Paths to Teacher Certification in Secondary Math and Science
Baton Rouge Transition to Teaching (BRTTT) is looking for math students who are passionate about math and who want to make a difference in their communities. Funded by the US Department of Education, BRTTT provides an alternative path to teacher certification in secondary math and science. We are looking for nontraditional candidates including graduating seniors who are not majoring in education to help address the critical teacher shortage in math and science. Through our intensive seven-week Summer Institute, we add educational theory and instructional strategies to candidates’ content knowledge. Upon successful completion of our Summer Institute, candidates can begin teaching full-time in August. Support is a cornerstone of our program; we provide specialized training to principals and mentor teachers so that they can effectively support new teachers in their first years of teaching. We also have Robert Noyce Scholarships ranging in value from \$12,600 to \$15,000 for graduating seniors who go through our program and teach in one of our partner districts for at least two years.
Posted February 12, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Peter Wolenski, LSU Department of Mathematics
Russell B. Long Professor
Nonsmooth Analysis: The Mathematics of Optimization
Nonsmooth analysis is the study of generalized notions of derivatives for
functions that are not necessarily differentiable in the usual sense. It is an important area of mathematical analysis that undergirds much of modern optimization theory. The theory of nonsmooth analysis was developed by Francis Clarke and his school in the 1970s, and has since been employed in economics, engineering, finance, and other areas. This talk will provide a nontechnical overview of this theory and a glimpse at some of the many applications in which nonsmooth analysis has had a major impact.
Professor Wolenski received his Ph.D. in Mathematics in 1988. He held positions at Imperial College of Science and Technology in London and the University of Montreal and has lectured extensively throughout the US and Europe. He came to LSU in 1990 and is now the Russell B. Long Professor of Mathematics. He has more than 50 publications including many in leading mathematics journals.
Posted March 10, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Guoli Ding, Mathematics Department, LSU
Solving Linear Inequalities, with Applications to Geometry, Optimization, and Combinatorics
Since every equation $A = B$ can be equivalently expressed as two inequalities $A ≤ B$ and $B ≤ A$, solving inequalities can be considered a generalization of solving equations. In this talk, beginning with a very simple algorithm, we develop a general theory on solving linear inequalities. Then we will discuss applications of this theory in different areas of mathematics, including polyhedral theory, linear programming, and combinatorics.
Posted April 8, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Tara Brendle, Department of Mathematics, LSU
Braids and Cryptography
In the late 1990s Anshel, Anshel, and Goldfeld proposed a new cryptosystem based on Dehn’s famous “Decision Problems” in combinatorial group theory. Their paper sparked a great debate about the effectiveness of such a cryptosystem which continues today. In this talk, we will take no sides in this debate! We will describe the particular group which Anshel, Anshel, and Goldfeld suggested for use in their cryptosystem, known as the braid group. This group is widely studied by topologists because of its close connections with knots and surfaces. We will also show how to implement the Anshel–Anshel–Goldfeld cryptoscheme using braid groups.
Posted October 21, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Mihai Putinar, University of California at Santa Barbara
Polynomial Approximation
A classical Positivstellensatz and a linearized form of it have
made a lasting imprint in the field of polynomial optimization. A history of
polynomial positivity, starting with Hilbert’s 17th problem and up to current
research, will constitute the main body of the talk.
Professor Putinar earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics in 1984 and has lectured extensively throughout the world. He came to UC Santa Barbara in 1997 and is currently the Undergraduate Vice-Chair in mathematics. He has written two books and has more than 50 other publications including many in leading mathematics journals.
Posted October 17, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
George Cochran, Mathematics Department, LSU
Mathematics and Gambling
Probability theorems are the foundation of an entire industry, which has a reliable and predictable income stream due to the magic of the Law of Large Numbers and the Central Limit Theorem.
Posted October 20, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Brian Marx, LSU Department of Experimental Statistics
Leonard F. Richardson, Mathematics Department, LSU
Applying to Graduate School
Posted November 18, 2008
Last modified February 20, 2022
Research Experience for Undergraduates: A Panel Presentation by Faculty and Students
The United States National Science Foundation (NSF) funds many research opportunities for undergraduates through its REU Sites program. An REU
Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific project, where he/she works closely with faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduates supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. The speaker will give advice on how to apply for REU jobs.
Professor Hoffman received his PhD in Mathematics from Harvard University and has been at LSU since 1979. He is a noted researcher in algebraic geometry, and is one of three professors who organize the LSU math REU.
Posted January 12, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Stephen Shipman, Mathematics Department, LSU
Discrete Dynamics, Chaos, and a Connection to Number Theory
The connection is the Möbius transform. We begin with the sequence 1, 2, 6, 12, 30, 54, 126, 240, 504, 990, … and find out how it is generated and what it means in terms of a simple discrete dynamical system on the unit circle.
Posted January 28, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Movie: "Music of the Primes: From Riemann to Ramanujan"
“With the advent of Bernhard Riemann's zeta-hypothesis, the study of prime numbers took on astonishing new dimensions—including a way to predict the appearance of primes. … Using state-of-the-art 3D animation, the film guides viewers through the zero-punctuated pattern [of the zeta-function] that Riemann unveiled. It also describes the friendship between G. H. Hardy and Srinivasa Ramanujan and the difficulties both men experienced as they confronted problems in number theory.” (from the DVD jacket)
There will be food.
Math Club webpage
Posted March 5, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Victor Moll, Department of Mathematics, Tulane University
What do I learn if I decide to compute integrals?
The study of the evaluation of definite integrals is full of surprises. This talk will present some of them in relation to Dynamical Systems, Number Theory, and Combinatorics. The first example deals with the rational integral
\[N_{0,4}(a;m) := \int_0^∞ \frac{dx}{(x^4+2ax^2+1)^{m+1}}.\]
The numbers
\[d_l(m) := 2^{−2m} \sum_{k=l}^m 2^k {2m-2k \choose m-k} {m+k \choose k} {k \choose l} \]
play an important role in its evaluation.
The sequence $\{d_l(m) : 0 ≤ l ≤ m \}$ has many intriguing properties, some of
which remain to be decided. (=Looking for collaborators).
Here is a nice non-linear dynamical system
\[
\begin{split}
a &\mapsto \frac{ab+5a+5b+9}{(a+b+2)^{4/3}}\\
b &\mapsto \frac{a+b+6}{(a+b+2)^{2/3}}\\
\end{split}
\]
Where do these formulas come from? Integrals, of course.
Posted April 22, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Math Movie
We will vote for either “Fermat\'s Room” or a BBC documentary. Pizza and popcorn will be served.
Posted August 28, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Susan Abernathy, Louisiana State University
Knot theory
Knot theory connects to a wide variety of areas in mathematics. In this talk, we will review some basics of knots and introduce some of the diverse techniques used to differentiate knots, including certain knot invariants and Morse theory.
Posted September 3, 2009
4:30 pm Keisler Hall: Lockett 321Movie Night! NOVA: Fractals
Hunting the Hidden Dimension. Come eat free pizza and enjoy a movie about mysteriously beautiful fractals that are shaking and deepening our understanding of nature.
Posted September 10, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Election of officers
Come eat free pizza, vote for your new officers, and play some fun math games. If you are interested in running for office, contact Josh Moulton.
Posted October 2, 2009
4:30 pm Keisler Lounge, room 321, Lockett HallWeekly meeting
Math activities, discussion of upcoming movie, and pizza.
Posted October 19, 2009
4:30 pm Keisler Lounge, Lockett Hall 321Introduction to Number Theory
Clueless about what number theory is and how it relates to your everyday life? Come and find out!
Posted November 11, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Groups and Graph Theory
Jesse Taylor will discuss Group Theory. He'll be giving a few basic definitions and defining a few key concepts related to Group and Graph Theory.
Posted November 13, 2009
Last modified February 20, 2022
Movie: "Fermat's Room"
Showing of the movie “Fermat's Room”, in collaboration with the LSU Spanish Club. From the President: “We will watch the movie Fermat's Room at 103 Design Bldg at 6:01pm on 11/19/2009. Entertainment will happen. Approximately 90 minutes later, the movie will end and we will all return to our normal lives as though nothing had happened, yet forever remembering the magic that happened on that fateful November night…”
Posted February 2, 2010
Last modified February 20, 2022
Leah Childers, LSU
Introduction to the mapping class group
We will look at an interesting group associated to surfaces called the mapping class group. Mapping class groups arise in the study of many areas of mathematics including: geometric group theory, low dimensional topology and algebraic geometry. We will explore basic elements of this group as well as some of the relations. No background in topology will be assumed.
Posted February 10, 2010
5:00 pm Keisler Lounge, Lockett Hall 321Pizza and organization of future meetings ...
... with the new president, Tommy Naugle.
Posted March 14, 2010
1:30 pm Keisler Lounge, Lockett Hall 321PI DAY
Posted October 21, 2014
4:30 pm – 5:20 pm Keisler Lounge
Jerome W. Hoffman, Mathematics Department, LSU
The projective plane and elliptic curves
Posted October 21, 2014
Last modified February 20, 2022
Richard Frnka, Department of Mathematics, LSU
Graduate Student
Farey Sequences and Ford Circles
The Farey Sequence of order $n$ on an interval is the complete ordered sequence of reduced fractions whose denominator does not exceed $n$. These fractions can be used to generate Ford Circles, which have some very nice properties including a relation to modular forms. For two consecutive fractions in the sequence of order $n$ (called Farey neighbors), the Ford Circles generated by them are tangent at only one point. By taking the arc on a circle between the two tangent points from both of its Farey neighbors for every fraction in the sequence, we can form a periodic, infinitely continuous path. Rademacher used this path to integrate the generating function for partitions to come up with an exact formula for the partition number, which had only been approximated before. This talk does not require any background, and will be accessible to any students with a basic knowledge of Euclidean geometry.
Posted August 30, 2018
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Math Lounge
Karl Mahlburg, Department of Mathematics, LSU
The Putnam competition
Posted August 30, 2018
Last modified March 2, 2021
Irfan Alam, LSU
Matthew Bertucci, Louisiana State University
Summer math experiences
Posted August 30, 2018
5:00 pm – 6:00 pm Math Lounge
Shea Vela-Vick, Louisiana State University
TBA
Posted February 16, 2022
4:30 pm – 5:30 pm James E. Keisler Lounge (321 Lockett) and 240 LockettMath Club
Refreshments in the Lounge beginning at 4:30pm, and movie in 240 Lockett