Women in Mathematics
Women in Mathematics Seminar
Background:
The mission of the Seminar for Women in Mathematics is to provide a
relaxed, supportive and stress-free environment in which women graduate
students, advanced undergraduate students, postdocs and faculty in the
department can interact. It also provides a place where women may give
talks and discuss mathematics at a level accessible to all graduate
students.
Format:
The speakers for the seminar are female, usually graduate students or
postdocs in the mathematics department. Talks range in length from 30 to
50 minutes, and are at the beginning graduate level. Talks may be on any
mathematical topic, and need not represent original research.
Room / Time
Meeting room: 141 Altgeld
Hall
Meeting time: 1-1:50pm
Friday
Schedule for Fall 2009
- August 28: Organization meeting
- September 11: Chia-Yen Tsai
Title: Asymptotic
translation lengths in the complex of curves.
Abstract: In 1981, Harvey
introduced the complex of curves C(S) which captures the combinatorial
structure of a surface S. There is a natural action of the mapping class
group Mod(S) on C(S), hence we can define asymptotic translation lengths
of Mod(S) in C(S) equipped with a metric. We will show that the infinimum
length goes to zero like 1/g^2. This talk will be accessible to a general
audience. (This is joint work with Vaibhav Gadre).
- September 25: Uma Ravat
Title: Interaction on
VaR(Value-At-Risk) and CVaR(Conditional-Value-At-Risk) risk measures
Abstract: The
banking industry relies heavily on the VaR to measure risk which
though easy to understand has several shortcomings--it is not
subadditive, not convex in general, difficult to optimize and does
not take into account losses beyond VaR which may be arbitrarily
large. On the other hand, CVaR as a risk measure is preferred in
the academic circles due to its interesting properties of coherence
and the fact that it does take into account losses larger than
VaR. Assuming that a trader thinks in CVaR terms, we study how a
constraint on VaR imposed by the trading firm gets translated to
an interesting and challenging inverse problem and lay down a
framework for solving this inverse problem.
- October 9:
Alexandra Seceleanu
Title: Weak Lefshetz
Property-a computational approach
Abstract: I will begin by
introducing the algebraic counterpart of the famous Lefschetz Property in
differential geometry. Then we shall explore some of the tools that are
available for algebraists to study the Weak Lefschetz property. I will
show how to completely solve the prolem in a particular case. Time
permitting, I will illustrate my talk with computations using computer
algebra software. This talk will be easily accessible to non-specialists.
- October 23: Inmi Kim
Title:Constructions of
Gabor dual window
Abstract:I'll give
you a brief explanation about the Short Time Fourier Transform and
some related theorems. Then we'll see the window conditions for
being dual windows in Gabor system. If we have some restrictions
on our windows, we can get very simplified window condition which
is used for my Gabor dual windows constructions in 1-dimension.
Also, if time is okay, I'll give you further topics such as higher
dimensional constructions and directionally sensitive Gabor
elements.
- November 6: Kelly Funk
Title: Introduction to
Ergodic Theory and Results on Nonrecurrence
Abstract: In this talk we
will
introduce the subject of ergodic theory by going over some basic
definitions and examples. Also we will talk about recurrence and
nonrecurrence of sequences. This talk should be accessible to most
graduate students.
- November 20: Isidora Milin
Title: Flexibility and
Rigidity in Symplectic and Contact Worlds
Abstract: I will begin by
introducing some basic notions of symplectic and contact geometry and
explain how they arise from considerations in classical mechanics.
Nonexistence of local invariants - all symplectic (contact) manifolds are
locally "the same" - will be contrasted with a rich theory of global
invariants. I'll finish by discussing an amusing theorem of Gromov (and
its contact-geometric analogues) - that there is no way for a symplectic
camel to go through the eye of a needle.
- December 4: Melissa Dennison
Title: The Bow Sequences
Abstract: My dissertation research focuses on a family of recursive sequences
called the bow sequences, which have the opposite recursion from
the Stern sequence. I will give a brief introduction to the bow
sequences and their relation to the Stern sequence, and follow
with a discussion of several main properties of the bow sequences.
I will derive the generating functions for the sequences and give
a description of the bow sequences modulo two. This talk will be
accessible to all graduate students.
- February 12: Victoria Reuter
Title: An Introduction to Continued Fractions
Abstract: I will first
introduce some basic definitions and notation
for continued fractions. Then we will look at some easy applications of
continued fractions in the areas of number theory, analysis, and
differential equations. This talk will be accessible to a general
mathematical audience.
- February 26: Mee Seong Im
Title: Basic Intersection Theory for Non-Algebraic
Geometers
Abstract: We will first compare the intersection
multiplicity of a finite number of planar curves at a point in the
Euclidean plane versus the ones in the projective plane. Now what happens
when two or more polynomials in two variables have a nonconstant factor in
common, or how should we understand self-intersection? How do we then
count the intersection multiplicity at a point? Does the notion of
intersection multiplicity at a point still make sense or should we extend
this notion to the intersection multiplicity at a planar curve? What about
the intersection multiplicity of a finite number of polynomials in several
variables? What conditions should we impose in order to obtain finite
nonnegative integer as the intersection number? Is it possible to obtain
negative integers as the intersection number? Background in algebraic
geometry is not necessary to understand and investigate these questions.
Previous seminars
Fun Activities
- Dessert Night: The Spring 2010 Dessert/Appetizer night will
be held on March 5 at 7:30 p.m.
One of the department's most anticipated ongoing
traditions (and by far the tastiest).
Useful Information
We had a great discussion about job searches. Here is some follow-up
information.
Useful links
For more information or any question contact:
Anna