The Mathematics Department holds regular seminars on a variety of topics. Please see below for further details.

Seminars

Seminar Meeting Details Title & Abstract
Differential Equations Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 111
group
TBA
Speaker: Ming Chen (University of Pittsburgh)
Algebra Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 110
TBA
Speaker: Sudipta Das, Arizona State University
Differential Equations Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 111
group
TBA
Speaker: Roberto Nunez (MU)
Algebra Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 110
TBA
Speaker: Thomas Polstra, University of Alabama
Algebra Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 110
TBA
Speaker: Sandra Rodríguez Villalobos, University of Utah
Differential Equations Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 111
group
TBA
Speaker: Gabriela Jaramillo (University of Houston)
Data Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 110
Homotopies for variational inference and approximate synthesis

For parameterized systems, one standard problem is to determine the set of parameters which "best" fits given data.  Two examples of this will be summarized in this talk, both of which can be solved using homotopies.  The first is variational inference in which one searches in a parameterized family of probability distributions for a probability distribution that best fits the given data.  The second is synthesizing a linkage whose coupler curve best approximates the given data.  This talk is joint work with Emma Cobian, Fang Liu, and Daniele Schiavazzi (variational inference) and Aravind Baskar and Mark Plecnik (approximate synthesis).

 

Speaker: Jonathan Hauenstein (Notre Dame)
Algebra Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 110
Extremal singularities in positive characteristic

What is the most singular possible (reduced) hypersurface in positive characteristic? One answer to this question comes from finding a lower bound on an invariant called the F-pure threshold of a polynomial in terms of its degree. In this talk, I'll introduce the F-pure threshold and then discuss a class of hypersurfaces which obtain a minimal F-pure threshold.  We’ll further investigate some of their surprising algebraic and geometric properties including their connection to surfaces with many lines.  This talk is based on joint work with Zhibek Kadyrsizova, Jennifer Kenkel, Jyoti Singh, Karen E. Smith, Adela Vraciu, and Emily E. Witt.

Speaker: Janet Page, North Dakota State University
Differential Equations Seminar
event
-
place
MSB 111
group
Gravity wave-borne vortices

In this talk, we’ll present some recent work on traveling waves in water that carry vortices in their bulk. We show that for any supercritical Froude number (non-dimensionalized wave speed), there exists a continuous one-parameter family of solitary waves with a submerged point vortex in equilibrium. This family bifurcates from an irrotational laminar flow, and, at least for large Froude numbers, it extends up to the development of a surface singularity. These are the first rigorously constructed gravity wave-borne point vortices without surface tension, and notably our formulation allows the free surface to be overhanging. Through a separate numerical study, we find strong evidence that many of the waves do indeed have an overturned air—water interfaces. Finally, we prove that generically one can perform a desingularization procedure to obtain a solitary wave with a submerged hollow vortex. Physically, these can be thought of as traveling waves carrying spinning bubbles of air in their bulk.

We will also discuss some work in progress on the existence of imploding vortex configurations that experience finite-time self-similar collapse.

This is joint work with Ming Chen, Kristoffer Varholm, and Miles Wheeler.
 

Speaker: Samuel Walsh (MU)
Data Seminar
event
-
place
Math Sciences Building 110
Density estimation for Gaussian mixture models

Density estimation for Gaussian mixture models is a classical problem in statistics that has applications in a variety of disciplines. Two solution techniques are commonly used for this problem: the method of moments and maximum likelihood estimation. This talk will discuss both methods by focusing on the underlying geometry of each problem.

 

Full seminar calendar: https://sites.google.com/view/mathdatamizzou/home

Speaker: Julia Lindberg