Math Dept 2022-2023 Newsletter 7
Monday, 5 December 2022
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.
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LAST NEWSLETTER OF SEMESTER. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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MEETINGS AND SEMINARS IN THE DEPARTMENT
TUESDAYS
Statistics Seminar
Tuesdays 2pm, on zoom.
Contact coordinator Saraleesan Nadarajah for zoom link.
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Combinatorics Seminar
TBA
Contact coordinator Lou Shapiro for zoom link.
WEDNESDAYS
Graduate Student Seminar
1pm, wednesday.
Contact Shakuan Frankson for more information.
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Applied Math Reading Seminar
TBA
Students will get to practice studying papers and working on research problems.
Please write the coordinator for original handouts or for the recording link.
Contact coordinator for zoom link as well.
Coordinator: Katie Gurski, Yeona Kang
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Math team/Math Club meetings
Organizer: Jill McGowan
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THURSDAYS
Seminar on Topological Semigroups
The seminar will include applications to Ramsey theory.
11 am on zoom on Thursdays. December 8 will be the last meeting of the semester.
Contact coordinator for zoom invite.
Coordinator Dennis Davenport
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FRIDAYS
Mathematics Department Colloquium
Fridays, 4.10 to 5pm.
Friday, 9 December
Edray Goins, Pomona College, CA.
Title TBA.
TALKS AND WORKSHOPS OUTSIDE DEPARTMENT
1. (Thanks to Saraleesan Nadarajah) George Washington University Statistics Lecture
The ASA president Dr. Dionne Price (FDA) is giving a talk at GWU.
Dec 9 (Friday), 2pm in MPA 310, George Washington University
Title: One Community: Informing Decisions and Driving Discovery
2. Distinguished lecture at University of MD, College Park
Mark Kisin of Harvard University is talking about “Heights in the isogeny class of an abelian variety” on friday, Dec 9 at 2pm in Kirwan 3206. He is also talking about the Frobenius conjugacy classes attached to abelian varieties on Thu 2pm in same room, in the Algebra-Number Theory seminar.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. HBCU Engage Pitchfest (Students developing research proposals)
Nashville, TN, April 18, 2023.
Teams of up to five students can get started by submitting a simple, one-page description of a proposed project that focuses on a research question in any STEM field. There is no cost to apply, and the abstract submission deadline has been extended to Dec. 15, 2022.
More information and application
SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
(from various sources)
1. Mathworks hiring student ambassador
Howard University has a campus-wide license for Mathworks software and services – it’s freely available to all faculty, staff, and students.MathWorks software is primarily used in engineering and science, with over 500 active users on campus at present. Mathworks is hiring a student to be our on-campus Student Ambassador. A Student Ambassador is expected to work about 5hr a week to help raise awareness, run fun technical events, and be active on social media.
More information and application
2. Vanderbilt REU
The Vanderbilt Institute of Nancoscale Science and Engineering invites applications for summer internships. Deadline February 15.
3. COMAP's mathematics modeling contest
COMAP’s Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) and Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM) are international contests open to undergraduate students of all disciplines. The MCM/ICM contest problems are designed to provide students with the opportunity to work as team members to engage in and improve their modeling, problem-solving, and writing skills. The contest takes place February 16-20, 2023.
https://www.contest.comap.com/undergraduate/contests/index.html
In previous newsletters:
Help school students learn coding and gain work experience
INTERESTING ARTICLES AND WEBSITES
1. (Thanks to Bruce Clark) Fibonacci numbers in fractal geometry
An embedding problem in geometry gives rise to the Fibonacci numbers, revealing intricate connections between Hirzebruch surfaces and fractal geometry.
2. Yitang Zhang claims proof of Landau-Siegel conjecture
The mathematician who provided the breakthrough on the seemingly impossible problem of finite gaps between prime numbers has submitted a paper on the existence of Landau-Siegel zeroes. This would be a major advance towards a proof of the Riemann Hypothesis, once it is verified. Here is the submission of arxiv.
3. Traffic flow and mathematics: Why a traffic flow becomes a traffic jam
Dynamical traffic flow models help explain why minor perturbations lead to major gridlocks. Link to article