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Compassionate Science: Edward Lo

Graduate student Edward Lo studies the sediment patterns and hydrology of a region in Brazil called the Pantanal, which is the world’s largest freshwater wetlands. Often American geologists base their research on a region within the U.S. One of the many things that makes Lo and his work unique is his commitment to research abroad.

Celebration of Mind

 

Have you heard of M.C. Escher? Origami?

The widespread popularity of these and many other intellectual staples of popular culture is largely due to one man: Martin Gardner.
 
He is said to have created more mathematicians than any other person in history, through his numerous books and long-running recreational math column in Scientific AmericanWidely revered among mathematicians, Gardner passed away in 2010. However his influence and legacy continue to inspire us to approach seemingly intractable problems from unconventional angles.
 
"Gardner's greatest skill was his ability to communicate complex mathematical ideas to the layperson," said math graduate student Cyrus Hettle. "His books and especially his long-running column in Scientific American are full of ideas that are central to modern mathematics, but Gardner – whose mathematical education never went beyond calculus – made them accessible to anyone with a high school mathematics education." 
 
"Gardner also presented mathematics in a truly multidisciplinary way. Not only did he explain mathematics using puzzles, games, and magic tricks, he found mathematics and mathematical ideas in poetry and art," Hettle explained.
 
The Celebration of Mind is an international celebration of Gardner, who would have turned 100 this year. "This is the fourth Celebration of Mind at UK, and I'm excited to be a part of this global event," said Hettle, who is heading up this year's festivities.
 
There are over 80 events worldwide, on every continent except Antarctica. UK's event will be on Monday, November 3, from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. at the Math House. Refreshments will be served, as well as confections for the mind - all the mathematical games, puzzles, and magic tricks one can imagine to honor the contributions of Gardner.
 
Faculty, students, and all others with an interest in mathematics are invited to attend!
 
For more information, contact Cyrus Hettle at cyrus.h@uky.edu
 
Also check out the International Celebration of Mind website at celebrationofmind.org.
Date:
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Location:
Math House, 654 Maxwelton Ct
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Discrete CATS Seminar

Title:  The combinatorial structure behind the free Lie algebra

Abstract:  We explore a beautiful interaction between algebra and combinatorics in the heart of the free Lie algebra on n generators: The multilinear component of the free Lie algebra Lie(n) is isomorphic as a representation of the symmetric group to the top cohomology of the poset of partitions of an n-set tensored with the sign representation. Then we can understand the algebraic object Lie(n) by applying poset theoretic techniques to the poset of partitions whose description is purely combinatorial. We will show how this relation generalizes further in order to study  free Lie algebras with multiple compatible brackets.

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Location:
745 Patterson Office Tower
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Topology Seminar

Title:  Eilenberg-MacLane Spaces

Abstract:  A space X is a K(G,n)  if \pi_n(X)=G and \pi_i(X)=0 if i\neq n. An interesting aspect is that the homotopy type of a CW comples K(G,n) is uniquely determined by G and n. We will investigate the construction of K(G,1), otherwise known as BG, for an arbitrary (discrete) group G, the homology of K(G,1) spaces, and the infinite symmetric product SP(X).

Date:
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Location:
745 Patterson Office Tower
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Algebra Seminar (Qualifying Exam)

Title:  Duals of Skew θ-Constacyclic Codes

Abstract:  We generalize cyclic codes to skew θ-constacyclic codes using skew polynomial rings. We provide a useful tool for exploring these codes: the circulant. In addition to presenting some properties of the circulant, we use it to re-examine a theorem giving the dual code of a skew θ- constacyclic code first presented by Boucher/Ulmer (2011). This talk includes work with Dr. Heide Gluesing-Luerssen.

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Location:
745 Patterson Office tower
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Analysis and PDE Seminar

Title:  Extremal functions in modules of systems of measures

Abstract:  We study Fuglede’s p-modules of systems of measures in condensers in the Euclidean spaces. First, we generalize the result by Rodin that provides a way to compute the extremal function and the 2-module of a family of curves in the plane to a variety of other settings. More specifically, in the Euclidean space we compute the p-module of images of families of connecting curves and families of separating sets with respect to the plates of a condenser under homeomorphisms with some assumed regularity. Then we calculate the module and find the extremal measures for the spherical ring domain on polarizable Carnot groups and extend Rodin’s theorem to the spherical ring domain on the Heisenberg group. Applications to special functions and examples will be provided. Joint work with Melkana Brakalova and Irina Markina.

 

 

Date:
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Location:
745 Patterson Office Tower
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