Math Club - Fall 2010 - Spring 2016 Events
Faculty advisor: Sandra Kingan, Associate Professor
Fall 2015
Quantum Computing and Linear Algebra
Speaker: Noson Yanofsky (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2015
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Quantum computing is a new and exciting field that tries to harness the strange and wonderful aspects of quantum mechanics to make computers better. Surprisingly, a large part of quantum computing can be simply understood with the knowledge of manipulating matrices with complex numbers. We will show the connection between complex linear algebra and quantum computing. We will start with small physical systems and explain what they have to do with computers. We will move on to give a small lesson in quantum mechanics. We will conclude with a simple algorithm for quantum computing.
Spring 2015
The dynamic programming principle for ordinary differential equations
Speaker: Diogo Pinheiro (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday Feb 24, 2015
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: We will introduced dynamic programming techniques to address optimal control problems associated with dynamical systems defined by ordinary differential equations. For such class of problems, we will obtain Bellman’s principle of optimality and the corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. It is worth remarking that such techniques were initially developed by Richard Bellman, a former Brooklyn College alumnus.
A Theorem in Algebra, Geometry and Topology
Speaker: Kishore Marathe (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesdays March 17 and 24, 2015
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: We will discuss a very special set of structures in Algebra characterizing a finite set of integers and the surprising relation that they have with deep results in Geometry and Topology. Some knowledge of Linear Algebra and matrices will enhance your understanding of this fascinating theorem. The background in Geometry and Topology necessary to understand the theorem will be provided in the lectures.
Fall 2014
Quantum Computing and Linear Algebra
Speaker: Noson Yanofsky (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday Oct 21, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Quantum computing is a new and exciting field that tries to harness the strange and wonderful aspects of quantum mechanics to make computers better. Surprisingly, a large part of quantum computing can be simply understood with the knowledge of manipulating matrices with complex numbers. We will show the connection between complex linear algebra and quantum computing. We will start with small physical systems and explain what they have to do with computers. We will move on to give a small lesson in quantum mechanics. We will conclude with a simple algorithm for quantum computing.
Spring 2014
Moonshine at 30 - Part I
Speaker: Kishore Marathe (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday Feb 18, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: In my previous Math Club talks (Monster exists, 2012), I discussed the existence of the Monster, the largest sporadic group and the related Moonshine conjectures. In these talks I will discuss the tremendous developments that have taken place in the 30 years since then. They have led to even more surprising results extending to other groups and relating the corresponding Moonshine to conformal field theory and string theory in physics and Ramanujan's mock theta functions and closely related mock modular and Jacobi forms.
Title: Moonshine at 30 - Part II
Speaker: Kishore Marathe (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday Feb 25, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Optimal Life Insurance, Consumption and Investment Decisions
Speaker: Diogo Pinheiro (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday March 18, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: We will discuss an extension to Merton's famous continuous-time model of optimal consumption and investment, under which a wage earner with a random lifetime allocates some portion of her income to consumption and life insurance purchase, while investing her savings in a financial market. The wage earner's problem is to find the optimal consumption, investment, and insurance purchase decisions in order to maximize the expected utility of her family consumption, of the size of her estate in the event of premature death, and of her total wealth at the time of retirement, provided she lives that long. We will see how to use optimal control techniques to obtain explicit solutions for such problem in the case of discounted constant relative risk aversion utility functions, providing also some economic interpretation. We will conclude with a discussion of possible extensions.
Math Clinic: The Math Club's tutoring event for lower division math courses
Date: Tuesday April 8, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Random Fractals
Speaker: Christian Benes (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday April 29, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: One of the "hottest" topics of research in probability of the past few decades is a random fractal called the Schramm-Loewner Evolution (SLE). In the last 8 years, two mathematicians were awarded Fields Medals for showing that SLE is related to well-known random processes such as loop-erased random walk and percolation. In this talk, I'll explain what fractals are and how random fractals appear naturally in a number of physical phenomena.
2014-2015 Elections for Math Club Officers (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday May 13, 2014
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Fall 2013
An overview of volatility derivatives and recent developments
Speaker: Zhenyu Cui (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday September 17, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: In this talk, I give an overview of the history and development of volatility derivatives, including variance/volatility swaps, options on variance/volatility, target volatility options, and timer options (or mileage options). I shall discuss the financial motivations behind these volatility derivatives products, review the literature, and also talk about some of my research in this area.
Approximation Methods in Derivatives Pricing
Speaker: Minqiang Li (Bloomberg LLC)
Date: Tuesday September 24, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: In this talk, I will review various approximation methods that have been proposed to price financial derivatives, including moment matching, PDE perturbation, lower and upper bounds, distributional approximation, etc. The focus will then be shifted towards PDE perturbation methods with applications to pricing exotic derivatives such timer options.
2014 NSF-CMACS Workshop at Lehman College
Speaker: Nancy Griffeth (Lehman College)
Date: Tuesday October 1, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Every January since 2010, we have held an undergraduate workshop on a quantitative biology topic at Lehman College. The 2014 topic is Cellular Signaling Pathways. Fifteen students are selected from the applicants to attend the workshop each year, and they receive a stipend of $1000. Several students from Brooklyn have attended and have been valued participants. In addition, many of them have gone on to internships or doctoral programs at prestigious institutions.
Math Clinic: The Math Club's tutoring session for lower division math courses
Date: Tuesday October 15 and 22, 2013
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Empirical Bayes and Stein’s Lemma, with Applications (Engineering & Financial)
Speaker: Martin Raphan (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday Oct 29, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: A universal problem that arises across many disciplines is that of gathering information about an environment, subject to unavoidable imperfections in the measurement process. Of fundamental importance, then, is learning to estimate uncorrupted signals based on corrupted measurements. Classical solutions to this problem rely on prior information about the measured environment, either assumed, or learned during a training phase where uncorrupted data is available. In many situations, however, uncorrupted data is never available, so there can be no training and no basis for prior assumptions. In this talk, I will describe a general statistical framework for solving this estimation problem without prior information, relying only on knowledge of how the corruption process works. I will discuss the relationship between this framework, Stein's Lemma and Empirical Bayes. I will also discuss applications of these methodologies to Engineering and Finance.
Halloween Party
Date: Thursday October 31, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: Math Library
Pressure and temperature dependence of the deuteron spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) in ionic liquids
Speaker: Sophia Suarez (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday November 5, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Math for America Information Session
Speaker: Juan Amayo (Math for America)
Date: Tuesday November 19, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Measurement of the spin diffusion rate in a rigid solid via NMR
Speaker: Gregory Boutis (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday December 3, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: An important question for many-body systems is how microscopic quantum mechanical parameters influence a corresponding dynamic at the macroscopic scale. Single crystal of calcium fluoride is an ideal test system for experimental investigation of such phenomenon-the spin degrees of freedom are well defined, relaxation times can be very long, and internal dynamics such as spin diffusion are kinematically simple. Experimentally, one can control the nuclear spin system by average Hamiltonian theory, developed by J. S. Waugh and coworkers, to study how a microscopic quantum property such as a spin state affects a macroscopic observable, such as a spin diffusion rate. A method of measuring diffusion in magnetic resonance is to encode a spatial modulation of magnetization in a sample and then measure it's attenuation over time. The difficulty in measuring spin diffusion in solid crystals by these scattering methods is that the spin diffusion rate is very slow (of an order 1 x 10^-12 cm^2/s) and hence the displacement of spin coherence is very small (approximately 1 micron per hour). The experimental challenge for probing these dynamics is that a spatial modulation of the nuclear spin magnetization must be created with a wavelength on these length scales. In this talk I will describe the method by which spin diffusion can be measured, in addition to a scheme by which the homonuclear dipolar Hamiltonian can be effectively turned-off in NMR using average Hamiltonian methods. The talk will include a discussion of the measurement of the spin diffusion rate of a two-spin correlated state (dipolar order) in addition to a state that is linear in spin operators (Zeeman order) and comparison with theoretical predictions.
Spring 2013
Elementary Problems about Polynomial Rings
Speaker: David Finston (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday February 5, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: The polynomial ring in finitely many variables over a field is an object of fundamental importance in algebra and algebraic geometry. For example, every commutative associative ring R containing the field k that can be generated over k by n elements is a homomorphic image of the polynomial ring k[x1,…,xn]. In geometry, k[x1,…,xn] is the ring of polynomial functions defined at all points of the n-dimensional space over k. Nevertheless, k[x1,…,xn] for n>1 remains mysterious in some respects. For example:
- It’s easy to see that x and y+x^5 are “variables” in the sense that the pair (x,y) can be recovered algebraically from them. But given arbitrary polynomials f,g how can one tell whether or not they are “variables”?
- If A is a finitely generated ring over k and t is a variable for which A[t] is isomorphic to k[x1,…,xn], is A isomorphic to a polynomial ring in n-1 variables?
- What is the structure of the group of automorphisms of k[x1,…,xn]?
- If f is a polynomial in n variables and k[x1,…,xn] /(f) is isomorphic to a polynomial ring in n-1 variables is f a variable?
These questions are versions of unsolved problems in affine algebraic geometry which will be discussed in the talk.
An Invitation to Category Theory
Speaker: Noson Yanofsky (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday February 26, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1141N
Abstract: Category theory is a general study of structures. We will describe many many basic examples of categories and their related structures. This will help us see why category theory is a unifying language in mathematics, theoretical computer science, and theoretical physics. This talk is open to anyone.
Quickest Detection and Algorithmic Trading
Speaker: Olympia Hadjiliadis (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday March 5, 2013
Time: 12:15-1:05 p.m.
Location: 0105N
Joint event with Stock Trading Club
Abstract: My presentation is on the topic of statistical surveillance and quickest detection. We begin by providing an example of statistical quality control in an industrial production process. We define the out-of-control and in-control states of the process and describe how we attempt to distinguish them by using statistics based on the observations of the process. We also discuss further applications of the problem of statistical surveillance and quickest detection in finance, detection of enemy activity, the internet surveillance problem and signal processing. We draw attention to a specific statistic called the CUSUM. We construct CUSUM-based trend following trading algorithms and assess their performance on high frequency data for US treasury bonds and notes sold at auction. It is seen that during regimes of instability drawdown based algorithms result in a profit while in periods of stability, they do not. We finally draw the connection of drawdown algorithms and cumulative sum (CUSUM) on line detection statistics. This talk is open to anyone.
Math Clinic: The Math Club's tutoring event for lower division math courses
Date: Tuesday May 14, 2013
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Perspectives on Graduate School
Speaker: Julio César Urenda Castañeda (New Mexico State University)
Date: Tuesday March 19, 2013
Time: 1-1:50 p.m.
Location: 0105N
Abstract: I am a Mexican citizen residing in Juarez, Mexico, engaged in full time doctoral study at New Mexico State University. My thesis advisor is working in Brooklyn. I will discuss my educational background and the exigencies of doing doctoral research under these most unusual circumstances. If there is time and interest I will make some remarks about the nature of my thesis work on the embedding problem in affine algebraic geometry.
Speed of Reaction of the CUSUM
Speaker: Olympia Hadjiliadis (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday April 9, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 0105N
Abstract: In this event we will introduce a statistic known as the speed of reaction of the CUSUM. We will examine the information it conveys and how we may make use of this information in order to describe the trend of a time series. In the context of high-frequency data, we will also discuss its distributional properties and in particular its mean. We will then compare the speed of reaction statistic to a simple moving average statistic in making an inference about the mean of high-frequency observations.
Random Walk and Related Lattice Models
Speaker: Christian Benes (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday April 23, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Many natural random phenomena are modeled on discrete lattice structures. One such model is random walk, which has been used for over a century as a model in biology, physics, and economics. In this talk, I will discuss gambling strategies for the game of roulette, explain why a drunken individual lost in Manhattan will always find a way home, and why butterflies have no such luck. If there is enough time, I will discuss other (surprisingly) related lattice models such as percolation and the Ising model.
Every Vote Counts, As Long As It's In the Right Zip Code: The Theory and Practice of Gerrymandering
Speaker: Jeff Suzuki (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday May 2, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: In the US and other democracies, voters in geographically defined districts choose a representative to serve in the legislature. But a sufficiently clever mapmaker could draw up a set of legislative districts to give one party a substantial advantage in the next election: this is a partisan gerrymander, and has been called the "pathology of democracy" by political scientists and social activists. The Supreme Court, claiming there is no "manageable standard" for measuring the extent of partisan gerrymandering, has given a green light to unlimited partisan gerrymandering. But to a mathematician, everything is measurable. We'll take a look at some of the proposals for measuring the extent of partisan gerrymandering; analyze the claim that partisan gerrymandering is a "self-limiting enterprise", and outline some areas of current research on the topic.
End of Semester Party & Math Club 2013-2014 Academic Year Election
Date: Tuesday May 7, 2013
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Undergraduate Student Conference on Data Science
Date: Tuesday May 14, 2013
Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Fall 2012
Quickest Detection and Algorithmic Trading
Speaker: Olympia Hadjiliadis (Brooklyn College)
Date: Thursday September 6, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: My presentation is on the topic of statistical surveillance and quickest detection. We begin by providing an example of statistical quality control in an industrial production process. We define the out-of-control and in-control states of the process and describe how we attempt to distinguish them by using statistics based on the observations of the process. We also discuss further applications of the problem of statistical surveillance and quickest detection in finance, detection of enemy activity, the internet surveillance problem and signal processing. We draw attention to a specific statistic called the CUSUM. We construct CUSUM-based trend following trading algorithms and assess their performance on high frequency data for US treasury bonds and notes sold at auction. It is seen that during regimes of instability drawdown based algorithms result in a profit while in periods of stability, they do not. We finally draw the connection of drawdown algorithms and cumulative sum (CUSUM) on line detection statistics.
The Monster Exists
Speaker: Kishore Marathe (Brooklyn College)
Date: Thursdays September 13 and 20, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: The proof of the existence of the Monster, the largest finite simple group finished the proof of the classification theorem for finite simple groups. The proof of this theorem is arguably the greatest achievement of the 20th century mathematics. Hundreds of mathematicians contributed to this proof which extends over 5,000 pages, makes essential use of results in algebra, arithmetic, geometry and theoretical physics (conformal field theory and string theory). We will give a survey of the history of this theorem and a brief sketch of the various ingredients that go into its proof. The main prerequisite is intellectual curiosity, although some knowledge of mathematics and physics would make it more interesting.
The Many Ways to Untie a Knot
Speaker: Mark Brittenham (University of Nebraska - Lincoln)
Date: Thursday October 4, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Knot theory, the mathematical study of 'knotted' objects, had its beginnings in the 1880s with a now discredited theory of the structure of the atom. It has grown in both its power and usefulness, especially in recent years, and has made unexpected connections with a wide variety of disciplines. This talk will present a 'picture history' of some of these developments, mostly centered on the fundamental question: "how do you unknot a knot?".
Finding Minimum Energy Paths of Droplets on Superhydrophobic Surfaces: A Phase Field Approach
Speaker: Kellen Petersen (Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences)
Date: Thursday October 18, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Interest in superhydrophobic surfaces has increased due to a number of interesting advances in science and engineering. A classical approach will be given as motivation for using a phase field model. After explaining our phase field model, I will discuss different methods for finding saddle points between minima with emphasis on the String Method. Resulting minimum energy paths will then be shown for different topographical and chemical surface characterizations.
A Quantitative Biology Workshop at Lehman College
Speaker: Nancy Griffeth (Lehman College)
Date: Tuesday November 13, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Every January since 2010, we have held an undergraduate workshop on a quantitative biology topic at Lehman College. Fifteen students are selected from the applicants to attend the workshop each year, and they receive a stipend of $1000. Several students from Brooklyn have attended and have been valued participants. In addition, many of them have gone on to internships or doctoral programs at prestigious institutions. The next workshop will be on the subject of atrial fibrillation. Students will see wet lab demonstrations of the type of electrical activity that causes atrial fibrillation in the heart and will help collect data for the better understanding of atrial fibrillation. (http://www.lehman.edu/academics/cmacs/)
Graphs and Matroids
Speaker: Sandra Kingan (Brooklyn College)
Date: Tuesday Nov 20, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: Abstract: Matroids are a modern type of synthetic geometry where the behavior of points, lines, planes, and higher dimensional surfaces are governed by combinatorial axioms. Hassler Whitney coined the term matroid in his 1935 paper "On the abstract properties of linear dependence". In defining a matroid Whitney captured the fundamental properties of independence that are common to graphs and matrices. In this talk I will define and give examples of matroids and a flavor of some of the major structural results.
Introduction to GPU Computing
Speaker: Mark Ebersole (NVIDIA)
Date: Tuesday November 27, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
This talk is organized jointly with the CIS club
Abstract: Modern GPUs have grown past their graphics heritage and evolved into the world's most successful parallel computing architecture. The introduction of this talk will briefly cover where the GPU came from and how it turned into this processing powerhouse. Next we will quickly cover the various methods used for programming for acceleration on GPUs. Finally, we will take a deeper dive into the model used to directly access this computational power using the CUDA C programming language.
Spring 2012
Who's In Charge? An Introduction to Social Network Analysis
Speaker: Jeff Suzuki (Brooklyn College)
Date: March 6, 2012
Abstract: Social network analysis is an outgrowth of graph theory and is rapidly becoming one of the important tools in mathematical criminology. One of the key problems is the following: given some information about individuals in an illicit network, which figures are the most important to the operation of the network? We'll take a look at some of the principal methods used to analyze networks, and show how after-event analysis suggests the potential of these methods for law enforcement and counter-terrorism.
CAS: a tour of enhanced insight with computer algebra systems
Speaker: John Velling (Brooklyn College)
Date: March 20, 2012
Abstract: We will explore two topics using the MAPLE computer algebra system. First, the approximation of complicated waves by superpositions of sine and cosine waves, i.e. Fourier series. The ability to do this is the fundamental insight underpinning the digitization of music (CDs), images (JPG and GIF), and movies (DVD). Second, the conjectured existence of infinitely many pairs of twin primes. We will obtain experimental evidence supporting this conjecture.
Random Fractals
Speaker: Christian Benes (Brooklyn College)
Date: April 5, 2012 (Thursday)
Abstract: One of the "hottest" topics of research in probability of the past few decades is a random fractal called the Schramm-Loewner Evolution (SLE). In the last 8 years, two mathematicians were awarded Fields Medals for showing that SLE is related to well-known random processes such as loop-erased random walk and percolation. In this talk, I'll explain what fractals are and how random fractals appear naturally in a number of physical phenomena.
Some Results on the Infinite
Speaker: Mark Gibson (Brooklyn College)
Date: April 17, 2012
Abstract: We will look at some interesting results involving infinite sets. We will first construct some maps which put sets into one-to-one correspondences; sets that a priori seem to be of different sizes. We will eventually apply Cantor’s diagonalization argument on the real numbers to show the existence of different magnitudes of infinity. Time permitting, we will prove Cantor’s theorem in its most general form, from which it follows that there are an infinite number of distinct infinities. Finally, we will be prepared to state the continuum hypothesis: a proposal that (for decades) drove many great mathematicians crazy.
A Discussion of Infinite Sets
Speaker: Keith Harrow (Brooklyn College)
Date: April 24, 2012
Abstract: Can one infinite set be larger or smaller than another? Or do all infinite sets have the same size? In fact, what does it mean for two infinite sets to have the same size? Or to have two different sizes? After covering the essentials, some interesting implications of the properties of infinite sets will be discussed.
STEM majors recuriting event. This talk is for students in MATH 1011, 1021, 1026, 1201, 1206, 1401 and Core 1311.
Statistical Quality Control
Speaker: Olympia Hadijialidis (Brooklyn College)
Date: April 30, 2012
Time: 5-6 p.m.
Location: Room 328 New Ingersoll
Abstract: My presentation is on the topic of statistical surveillance and quickest detection. We begin by providing an example of statistical quality control in an industrial production process. We define the out-of-control and in-control states of the process and describe how we attempt to distinguish them by using statistics based on the observations of the process. We also discuss further applications of the problem of statistical surveillance and quickest detection in finance, detection of enemy activity, the internet surveillance problem and signal processing We draw attention to a specific statistic called the CUSUM and conclude by discussing some of its properties.
This talk fits the theme of Math Awareness Month "Mathematics statistics and the data deluge."
A day in the life of a quantitative analyst
Speaker: Himanshu Almadi (Bandk of America)
Date: April 30, 2012
Time: 6:05-7 p.m.
Location: Room 328 New Ingersoll
Abstract: Investors often experience the tension that exists between the desire to stick with a long-term financial strategy and the impulse to react to short-term market events. Of course, as the post-crisis paths of market amply demonstrate, financial data and investor psychology can often work at cross-purposes. We present probable solutions to both problems: building long-term financial strategy using goals-based processes, and managing short-term opportunities/constraints using a more dynamic asset allocation.
This talk fits the theme of Math Awareness Month "Mathematics statistics and the data deluge."
The Legacy of Epimenides: The Contemporary Consequences of a 2600 Year Old Paradox
Speaker: Noson Yanofsky (Brooklyn College)
date: May 1, 2012
Abstract: We shall examine Epimenides paradox which essentially says that the statement “This sentence is false” is true if and only if it is false. We shall show that this ancient self-referential paradox has the exact same format as some of the most interesting developments in modern mathematics and computer science. We will examine the paradox in light of the famous barber paradox, Russell’s naïve set theory paradox, Cantor’s different levels of infinity, Gödel’s incompleteness theorem, and Turing’s Halting problem.
Market Making and Trading Puzzles
Speaker: Brett Bernstein (GETCO Securities)
Date: May 3 (Thursday), 2012
Location: 1310N
Abstract: An introduction to how market making works and a look at some puzzles that test your trading intuition. This talk fits the theme of Math Awareness Month "Mathematics statistics and the data deluge."
Statistical analyses used to understand brain dynamics
Speaker: Daniel Thengone (Weill Cornell Medical College/Brooklyn College Alumnus)
Date: May 10, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1127N
Abstract: In neuroscience, the dynamical patterns of electrical activity of neurons provide a crucial bridge between cellular and behavioral levels of analysis. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that measures such electrical activity via electrodes placed on the surface of the brain. During the last decade or so, a significant amount of research has gone into the development of signal processing tools to quantify these voltages measured from these electrodes. These statistical methods have been developed into signal processing algorithms and have been used extensively to model such stochastic processes. Power spectral analysis is a well-established method for the analysis of EEG signals. Spectral parameters can be efficiently used to quantify brain states during awake and sleep state via characteristic features that emerge in the frequency domain. This method coupled with numerous statistical tests has been applied to understand the dynamics in voltage oscillations measured from the brain surface. This talk will provide a brief survey of the quantitative measures used for analyzing continuous process signals like EEG, and how these methods are used to examine dynamics of neuronal response and their relationship to behavior.
This talk fits the theme of Math Awareness Month "Mathematics statistics and the data deluge."
Got techniques – looking for data
Speaker: Sandra Kingan (Brooklyn College)
Date: May 15, 2012
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: 1141 N
Abstract: The theme of Math Awareness month (April) this year was “Mathematics Statistics and the data deluge.” SIAM News has a front-page article titled Got Data: Now What that identifies the analysis of large data sets to provide understanding, and ultimately knowledge as one of the fundamental intellectual challenges of our time. While, Scientists have data and are looking for mathematical techniques to analyze their data, mathematicians, on the other hand, have techniques and are looking for data to try out their techniques. In this talk I will present the development and implementation of a course for math majors titled “Mathematical Methods for Analyzing Data.” Such a course has a built-in strong technology component as software is needed for handling data. But it also requires a strong civic engagement component because along with new applications come new ethical issues. Learning the mathematics in the context of difficult societal problems and thinking about how use it in an advocacy setting creates a much needed awareness of how mathematics applies to society. Moreover, students who take such a course are well-prepared to undertake an undergraduate student research project.
This talk fits the theme of Math Awareness Month "Mathematics statistics and the data deluge."
Spring 2011
Career Panel for math and math education majors
Date: February 24, 2011
Location: Math Library
Matroid Theory
Date: March 21, 2011
Speaker: Professor Sandra Kingan, Mathematics
Time: 6-7 p.m.
Location: 1146 Ingersoll
What would it feel like working for the world’s largest quantitative investment management firm?
Speaker: Dr. Gunnar Klinkhammer, MAN/AHL Investments
Date: April 6, 2011
Time: 3:40-4:30 p.m.
Location: 329 New Ingersoll
Artificial Neural Networks: Modeling in Robots
Date: April 28, 2011
Speaker: Professor Grasso, Computer Science
Game Theory
Date: May 5, 2011
Speaker: Professor Thorne, Computer Science
Probability Theory
Date: May 10, 2011
Speaker: Professor Benes, Mathematics
Student Presentations
Date: May 17, 2011
Speaker: Professor Kingan, Mathematics
Fall 2010
Physical Mathematics: old and new
Speaker: Professor Kishore Marathe, Mathematics
Date: October 28, 2010
Voting Theory
Speaker: Professor Jeff Suzuki, Mathematics
Date: November 4, 2010
Resources for Homework Help & Research Help
Speaker: Professor Cirasella, Library
Date: November 9, 2010
Location: Library 120
Careers in Mathematics and Its Interrelated Fields
Speaker: Ms. Zavi Baynes, Career Counselor from the Magner Center
Date: November 16, 2010
Time: 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Location: Rm 1207 James Hall
Math and Music
Date: November 23, 2010
Speaker: Professor James Kiernan, Mathematics
