Colloquium Series 2023-2024

This colloquium is sponsored by the Department of Mathematics & Statistics
For more information, contact the colloquium chair, Dr. Michael Kerckhove.

Upcoming:

October 9 at 1:30 PM

Location: Jepson Faculty Lounge on the first floor of Jepson Hall

Speaker: Allison Moore, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Virginia Commonwealth University

Title: Knotted Graphs and Graphs of Knots: How Combinatorics and Knot Theory Inform Each Other

Abstract: A knot is an embedding of a circle in a three-dimensional space, up to a type of deformation called ‘ambient isotopy.’ Informally, we can think of a knot as being a closed, flexible loop made out of stretchy rubber cord. Knot theory is a part of geometry and topology, but it enjoys connections to many other branches of math including algebra, analysis, and combinatorics; knot theory even provides a framework for mathematical modeling in molecular biology!

In this talk, we’ll investigate how concepts from graph theory help us to better understand the complexity of knots and to devise tools to calculate their properties. I’ll emphasize several research projects that were joint work with the following VCU students: Matthew Elpers, Christopher Flippen, Rayan Ibrahim, Essak Seddiq, and Anna Shaw.

November 6 at 1:30 PM

Location: Jepson Faculty Lounge on the first floor of Jepson Hall

Speaker: M. Saif Mehkari, Associate Professor of Economics and Paul Clikeman Teaching Fellow, University of Richmond

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

February 26 at 7:00 PM

Location: TBA

Speaker: TBA

Title: TBA

Abstract: TBA

March 26 at 1:30 PM

Speaker: Matt Graham, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Temple University

April 15 at 4:30 PM

Location: TBA

Speakers: Mathematics Honors Students Presentations