Math Dept 2025-26 Newsletter 14
Monday, 27 April 2026
Past newsletters can now be reached via the department website.
[Click on “About” and then “News and Events”].
Newsletter is sent out when there is something new.
Please send entries by the end of the workweek–Ed.
This will be the last newsletter of the semester. Have a nice summer! – Ed
MEETINGS AND SEMINARS IN THE DEPARTMENT
MONDAYS
Seminar on Topological Semigroups
Mondays at 9am on zoom
On April 13 Neil Hindman spoke about “Cartesian Products of semigroups, FC, and SFC”
Contact coordinator for zoom invite.
Coordinator Dennis Davenport
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Data Science Seminar
Faculty and Graduate Students are invited to present their research at the Data Science Seminar. This includes research in other areas that involves data science.
Contact coordinator for more information.
Co-ordinator: Edmund Ameyaw
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TUESDAYS
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Math 300: Mathematics Graduate Seminar
This is a series of talks on research topics by faculty aimed at Graduate Students.
On April 14, Joon Ha talked about “Understanding Diabetes through Mathematical Models”. On April 21, Ahmet Yildirim spoke about “A Memory Based Quantitative Framework for Postmortem Interval Estimation with Uncertainty Bounds.”
Co-ordinator Dennis Davenport
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Algebra and Combinatorics Seminar
Combinatorics & Algebra Seminar which had been running for a number of years at George Washington University will now be a joint venture between the GW and Howard math departments. The organizers of the seminar are Joel Lewis & Robert Won (GW) and Sam Hopkins & Minh-Tam Trinh (Howard). The talks will take place 4-5pm on Tuesdays, at GWU.
WEDNESDAYS
Math team/Math Club meetings
TBA
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Math Biology Seminar
Wednesdays
Coordinators: Katie Gurski, Yeona Kang, Joon Ha, Sayomi Kamimoto, Chris Kim
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SIAM undergraduate research seminar
On April 8 Madison Simmons spoke.
Title: Validation of Real-World Treatment Comparative Effectiveness in Membranous Nephropathy using MENTOR Trial Data
More information : Contact Jillian Alexander
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THURSDAYS
Number Theory Seminar
Seminars are on Thursdays, 2 to 3pm.
On April 26, Sankar Sitaraman will talk about Artin's Primitive Roots Conjecture (based on joint work with Kyndra Middleton).
Contact coordinators for zoom link.
Coordinators: Angelica Babei, Daniel Mamo and Sankar Sitaraman
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FRIDAYS
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Graduate Students Seminar
Seminar meets fridays 2.30 to 3.30pm.
Denmarc Elisma was the speaker on February 6th and he talked about how Quantum Game Strategies Intersect Quantum Networks.
Dennis Davenport spoke on February 20th about the candidacy application process.
Contact person: Toni Smith
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Mathematics Department Colloquium
Fridays, 4.10 to 5pm. Room 213 and zoom.
Seminars will continue in the fall.
The colloquium schedule and videos are available at this website: https://deleo.website/HU/colloquium.html
TALKS AND WORKSHOPS OUTSIDE DEPARTMENT
1. (Thanks to Angelica Babei) Rethinking Number Theory Workshop
Angelica is one of the organizers of this workshop, whose motto is “We believe that number theory should be not only accessible, but enjoyable to everyone.” They invite people to join a joyful collaborative research experience, where people are valued and uplifted. Their aim is to rethink the graduate school and postdoc experience, research seminars, hiring process, conferences, grant applications, and other aspects of our profession. This summer's workshop, from June 22 to July 3, involves cutting edge research on Non-congruence subgroups, Drinfeld modules, Automorphic Langlands groups, and Primes in arithmetic progressions.
2. (Thanks to Roberto De Leo) Workshop in honor of Sergey Novikov, to be held from May 4–8, 2026, at the Brin Mathematics Research Center on the campus of the University of Maryland. More details
3. Number theory seminars at U.Md College Park
This week there are talks by Casimir Kothari and Dongryul Kim on Dieudonne theory and Igusa stacks respectively. Seminar website
In previous newsletters:
Fifth International Conference on Enumerative Combinatorics and Applications
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Kyndra Middleton successfully defended her thesis titled “On a Criterion for Artin's Primitive Roots Conjecture” on April 22. The thesis committee consisted of Paul Peart (Chairman), Francois Ramaroson, Angelica Babei, Sankar Sitaraman (advisor) and Lawrence Washington (external examiner, UMCP). Kyndra already has a doctorate in Education and she is also the Chair of the Department of Human Development and Psychoeducational Studies in the School of Education, as well as interim director of CETLA.
2. Roberto De Leo writes: “My recent joint article with Jim Yorke, entitled "Streams, graphs and global attractors of dynamical systems with applications to parabolic PDEs", has been published on the Journal of Differential Equations. This is the fourth and final outcome of a four years research project I had with Yorke from 2022 to 2025, aimed at creating a framework to study and present the qualitative aspects of a dynamical system. This last contribution is dedicated to the setting of infinite-dimensional systems, such as semiflows generated by PDEs.”
3. (Thanks to Dennis Davenport)
Nia Hajdukiewicz, a student and the Pearson Campus Ambassador at Howard University, would like to let everyone know about Pearson+, their subscription service that allows students to choose from over 2,000 eTextbooks with audio, flashcards, and notes, all in one place. Pearson+ and the Study Prep containing AI Tools, custom practice exam builder, and more is available to students at $15.99/month. This has proven to be incredibly beneficial as students prepare for the end of semester exams. For courses utilizing the MyLab/Mastering Platform, this comes already included for students.
4. Ahmet Yildirim writes: “I gave a talk titled “Topology-Preserving Physics-Informed Fractional Modeling of Cancer Cell Signaling Dynamics under BRAF Inhibition” at the International Conference on Engineering, Mathematics and Industrial Applications (ICEMIA), held as the Pilot Virtual Conference (Online) from April 15 to April 21, 2026.” Conference website
5. Moussa Doumbia writes: “I am pleased to announce the official publication of our latest research paper on Artificial Intelligence, conducted in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Mathematics at West Point. This work represents a significant contribution to our ongoing research efforts, and I am deeply grateful to my collaborators for their expertise, dedication, and intellectual rigor throughout this process. I extend my sincere appreciation to the Department of Mathematics, my fellow researchers, and all those whose continued support has made this work possible. It is my hope that this research will serve as a foundation for meaningful dialogue and further advancement in the field.”
In previous newsletters
HU Research Month 2026
Videos from “Journeys of Black Mathematicians”
AMS Special Session organized by Ahmet Yildirim
Marma conference
SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
(from various sources)
1. (Thanks to Dennis Davenport)
a) Simons Foundation Pivot Fellowships
Support for research faculty in STEM areas bringing expertise to new area : one year of mentored training and up to $1.5 million for five years of research in new area in mathematics or the natural sciences. Deadline May 14.
b) Karen EDGE fellowship for mid-career mathematicians
The Karen EDGE Fellowship Program seeks to support and enhance the research programs of mathematicians from underrepresented racial groups. The award consists of $8,000 per year for three years.
2. (Thanks to Bourama Toni) Summer Programs at Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE)
Programs for professionals to expand their expertise in areas of Management and Leadership in higher education.
In previous newsletters
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) positions
and several internship opportunities.
INTERESTING ARTICLES AND WEBSITES
1. Quantum computers may become feasible within this decade
Quantum computers of the future may be closer to reality thanks to new research from Caltech and Oratomic, a Caltech-linked start-up company. Theorists and experimentalists teamed up to develop a new approach for reducing the errors that riddle today's rudimentary quantum computers.