Proposals
Below are some proposals for talks from the past (and current). By clicking on the ID number, more details are shown. By default, these are sorted chronologically (recent first) and by then by last name. The data can be sorted by alternate means by using the links at the top right, each allowing ascending or descending orders.
Displaying 161-180 of 471 results.
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ID:
112
Year: 2005
Name: Alexander Kleiner
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): history of mathematics, analysis
Title of Talk: The Toeplitz-Silverman Theorem
Abstract: In the first two decades of the twentieth century summability developed from collection of special results used in other parts of analysis into a full-blown field. One of the main points of this transition was a collection of general results that gave conditions for a method to sum every convergent sequence. Papers by Toeplitz, Silverman, Kojima, Schur and others established these theorems. This note will look at the development of these conditions and, as time permits, the reoccurrence of these results in the early day of the "Polish" school of functional analysis.
Year: 2005
Name: Alexander Kleiner
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): history of mathematics, analysis
Title of Talk: The Toeplitz-Silverman Theorem
Abstract: In the first two decades of the twentieth century summability developed from collection of special results used in other parts of analysis into a full-blown field. One of the main points of this transition was a collection of general results that gave conditions for a method to sum every convergent sequence. Papers by Toeplitz, Silverman, Kojima, Schur and others established these theorems. This note will look at the development of these conditions and, as time permits, the reoccurrence of these results in the early day of the "Polish" school of functional analysis.
ID:
443
Year: 2016
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): history of mathematics and the centenary of the Iowa section
Title of Talk: The Smithsonian Exhibit for the MAA Centenary: The Iowa Connection
Abstract: Artifacts from Richard P. Baker, a founding member of the MAA from the Iowa section, were on display at the American History Museum for the MAA centenary. This talk will feature details of his life and work at the University of Iowa, with a focus on the mathematical models he created.
Year: 2016
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): history of mathematics and the centenary of the Iowa section
Title of Talk: The Smithsonian Exhibit for the MAA Centenary: The Iowa Connection
Abstract: Artifacts from Richard P. Baker, a founding member of the MAA from the Iowa section, were on display at the American History Museum for the MAA centenary. This talk will feature details of his life and work at the University of Iowa, with a focus on the mathematical models he created.
ID:
304
Year: 2011
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Beginning a history of the Iowa Section of the MAA
Abstract: An interactive session focused on sources for the history of the Iowa Section of the MAA as part of its Centennial celebration in 2015.
Year: 2011
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Beginning a history of the Iowa Section of the MAA
Abstract: An interactive session focused on sources for the history of the Iowa Section of the MAA as part of its Centennial celebration in 2015.
ID:
72
Year: 2004
Name: Daniel Alexander
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): History of mathematics
Title of Talk: Stefan Banach During World War II
Abstract: There is virtually no mention in mathematical literature of Stefan Banach's experience during World War II. This is unfortunate because not were his experiences fairly dramatic, but they are part of a greater story of the Polish Resistance during World War II. This presentation will discuss how Banach survived the Nazi occupation despite Nazi plans to annihilate the Polish intelligentsia. It will also discuss the role of a relatively unknown "Schindleresque"factory owner, Rudolf Stefan Weigl.
Year: 2004
Name: Daniel Alexander
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): History of mathematics
Title of Talk: Stefan Banach During World War II
Abstract: There is virtually no mention in mathematical literature of Stefan Banach's experience during World War II. This is unfortunate because not were his experiences fairly dramatic, but they are part of a greater story of the Polish Resistance during World War II. This presentation will discuss how Banach survived the Nazi occupation despite Nazi plans to annihilate the Polish intelligentsia. It will also discuss the role of a relatively unknown "Schindleresque"factory owner, Rudolf Stefan Weigl.
ID:
108
Year: 2005
Name: James Collingwood
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Rigor in Analysis: From Newton to Cauchy
Abstract: This paper seeks to examine the level of rigor which was present in work with the calculus from the time of its invention through Cauchy
Year: 2005
Name: James Collingwood
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Rigor in Analysis: From Newton to Cauchy
Abstract: This paper seeks to examine the level of rigor which was present in work with the calculus from the time of its invention through Cauchy
ID:
126
Year: 2005
Name: Dan Alexander
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: The History of Complex Dynamics, Part II
Abstract: Part I was given to the Iowa section in 1994 and focused on the 1918 papers of Pierre Fatou and Gaston Julia on which the contemporary study of complex dynamics is based. In part II I will talk about both prior and subsequent developments in an attempt to put these 1918 papers in a more complete historical context. In particular, I will discuss some "new" influences on their works that I have recently been made aware of as well as discuss contemporaneous (that is, immediately following World War I) studies of complex dynamics around the world. I will also gladly review the works of Fatou and Julia for those who were not present for (or can't quite recall) Part I. This talk is based on collaborative research by Felice Iavernaro, Alessandro Rosa, and me.
Year: 2005
Name: Dan Alexander
Institution: Drake University
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: The History of Complex Dynamics, Part II
Abstract: Part I was given to the Iowa section in 1994 and focused on the 1918 papers of Pierre Fatou and Gaston Julia on which the contemporary study of complex dynamics is based. In part II I will talk about both prior and subsequent developments in an attempt to put these 1918 papers in a more complete historical context. In particular, I will discuss some "new" influences on their works that I have recently been made aware of as well as discuss contemporaneous (that is, immediately following World War I) studies of complex dynamics around the world. I will also gladly review the works of Fatou and Julia for those who were not present for (or can't quite recall) Part I. This talk is based on collaborative research by Felice Iavernaro, Alessandro Rosa, and me.
ID:
175
Year: 2006
Name: Jim Tattersall
Institution: Providence College
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Episodes in The Early History of The Lucasian Chair
Abstract: In 1663, Henry Lucas, the long-time secretary to the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, made a bequest, subsequently granted by Charles II, to endow a chair in mathematics. A number of conditions were attached to the Chair. Among the more prominent Lucasian professors were Newton, Babbage, Stokes, Dirac, and Hawking. We focus attention on the early Lucasians. Many of whom were very diligent in carrying out their Lucasian responsibilities but as history has shown such was not always the case. In the process, we uncover several untold stories and some interesting mathematics
Year: 2006
Name: Jim Tattersall
Institution: Providence College
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Episodes in The Early History of The Lucasian Chair
Abstract: In 1663, Henry Lucas, the long-time secretary to the Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, made a bequest, subsequently granted by Charles II, to endow a chair in mathematics. A number of conditions were attached to the Chair. Among the more prominent Lucasian professors were Newton, Babbage, Stokes, Dirac, and Hawking. We focus attention on the early Lucasians. Many of whom were very diligent in carrying out their Lucasian responsibilities but as history has shown such was not always the case. In the process, we uncover several untold stories and some interesting mathematics
ID:
176
Year: 2006
Name: Jim Tattersall
Institution: Providence College
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Vignettes in Number Theory
Abstract: Properties and the history of several numbers that lend themselves naturally to undergraduate research projects will be discussed. Topics include Demlo numbers, polite numbers, sad numbers, decimal Columbian numbers, Smith numbers, and Niven numbers.
Year: 2006
Name: Jim Tattersall
Institution: Providence College
Subject area(s): History of Mathematics
Title of Talk: Vignettes in Number Theory
Abstract: Properties and the history of several numbers that lend themselves naturally to undergraduate research projects will be discussed. Topics include Demlo numbers, polite numbers, sad numbers, decimal Columbian numbers, Smith numbers, and Niven numbers.
ID:
228
Year: 2008
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): history of mathematics
Title of Talk: Euler and Music: a look at the Tentamen of 1739
Abstract: Musicians regard Euler as the leading contributor to theoretical acoustics. Why? This presentation will explore Euler's long interest in music theory.
Year: 2008
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): history of mathematics
Title of Talk: Euler and Music: a look at the Tentamen of 1739
Abstract: Musicians regard Euler as the leading contributor to theoretical acoustics. Why? This presentation will explore Euler's long interest in music theory.
ID:
102
Year: 2005
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): History of math, fourier series
Title of Talk: The Henrici Harmonic Analyser
Abstract: The mathematical basis for analysis of a periodic function was provided by J. B. J. Fourier in Paris in 1822 in the form of a series expansion. Calculations, however, were very tedious. Several ingenious mechanical devices to perform the analysis were devised in the late 19th Century and perfected in the early 20th Century. An important example is the Henrici analyzer, a working version of which is housed in the Department of Speech and Audiology at The University of Iowa. The mathematical background of the device will be described, and videos will be shown of the authors using the Iowa Henrici to analyze a waveform. Pictures and descriptions of another device at the Science Museum in South Kensington, London will also be presented.
Year: 2005
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): History of math, fourier series
Title of Talk: The Henrici Harmonic Analyser
Abstract: The mathematical basis for analysis of a periodic function was provided by J. B. J. Fourier in Paris in 1822 in the form of a series expansion. Calculations, however, were very tedious. Several ingenious mechanical devices to perform the analysis were devised in the late 19th Century and perfected in the early 20th Century. An important example is the Henrici analyzer, a working version of which is housed in the Department of Speech and Audiology at The University of Iowa. The mathematical background of the device will be described, and videos will be shown of the authors using the Iowa Henrici to analyze a waveform. Pictures and descriptions of another device at the Science Museum in South Kensington, London will also be presented.
ID:
73
Year: 2004
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): history
Title of Talk: Mechanically finding Fourier coefficients
Abstract: In the era before oscilloscopes and computers, how did acousticians analyze sound waves? One way was to use the Henrici Harmonic Analyzer. The presentation will discuss how and why it works, including video and still shots of using it recently at the University of Iowa.
Year: 2004
Name: Joel Haack
Institution: University of Northern Iowa
Subject area(s): history
Title of Talk: Mechanically finding Fourier coefficients
Abstract: In the era before oscilloscopes and computers, how did acousticians analyze sound waves? One way was to use the Henrici Harmonic Analyzer. The presentation will discuss how and why it works, including video and still shots of using it recently at the University of Iowa.
ID:
373
Year: 2013
Name: Ryan Johnson
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Group Theory
Title of Talk: Some Gauss Sums found in Category Theory
Abstract: I will present a 21st century problem that requires some 18th century mathematics. Fusion categories lie in the intersection of group theory, knot theory, and quantum physics. If one is given a fusion category, a sequence of complex numbers can be computed which are called the Frobenius-Schur indicator. In this talk I will consider a particular subclass of fusion categories whose data is defined using a finite abelian group and a bilinear form on that group. Computing the indicator of these categories requires the use of quadratic Gauss sums. The aim of my research is to show the uniqueness of the indicator on this particular subclass of fusion categories.
Year: 2013
Name: Ryan Johnson
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Group Theory
Title of Talk: Some Gauss Sums found in Category Theory
Abstract: I will present a 21st century problem that requires some 18th century mathematics. Fusion categories lie in the intersection of group theory, knot theory, and quantum physics. If one is given a fusion category, a sequence of complex numbers can be computed which are called the Frobenius-Schur indicator. In this talk I will consider a particular subclass of fusion categories whose data is defined using a finite abelian group and a bilinear form on that group. Computing the indicator of these categories requires the use of quadratic Gauss sums. The aim of my research is to show the uniqueness of the indicator on this particular subclass of fusion categories.
ID:
511
Year: 2018
Name: Lindsay Erickson
Institution: Augustana University
Subject area(s): Graph Theory, Game Theory
Title of Talk: Edge-Nim on the $K_{2,n}$
Abstract: Edge-Nim is a combinatorial game played on finite regular graphs with positive, integrally weighted edges. Two players alternately begin from an initialized vertex and move to an adjacent vertex, decreasing the weight of the incident edge to a strictly non-negative integer as they travel across it. The game ends when a player is confronted by a position where no incident edge has a nonzero weight (or, that is to say, when the player is unable to move), in which case, this player loses. We characterize the winner of edge-Nim on the complete bipartite graphs, $K_{2,n}$ for all positive integers, $n$, giving the solution and complete strategy for the player able to win.
Year: 2018
Name: Lindsay Erickson
Institution: Augustana University
Subject area(s): Graph Theory, Game Theory
Title of Talk: Edge-Nim on the $K_{2,n}$
Abstract: Edge-Nim is a combinatorial game played on finite regular graphs with positive, integrally weighted edges. Two players alternately begin from an initialized vertex and move to an adjacent vertex, decreasing the weight of the incident edge to a strictly non-negative integer as they travel across it. The game ends when a player is confronted by a position where no incident edge has a nonzero weight (or, that is to say, when the player is unable to move), in which case, this player loses. We characterize the winner of edge-Nim on the complete bipartite graphs, $K_{2,n}$ for all positive integers, $n$, giving the solution and complete strategy for the player able to win.
ID:
93
Year: 2004
Name: Stephanie Kleven
Institution: Central College
Subject area(s): graph theory or coding theory
Title of Talk: Perfect Codes on Odd Dimension Sierpinski Graphs
Abstract: Sierpinski graphs are built by an iterative construction from a complete graph on d vertices.
Year: 2004
Name: Stephanie Kleven
Institution: Central College
Subject area(s): graph theory or coding theory
Title of Talk: Perfect Codes on Odd Dimension Sierpinski Graphs
Abstract: Sierpinski graphs are built by an iterative construction from a complete graph on d vertices.
ID:
154
Year: 2006
Name: Stephen Willson
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Graph theory / mathematical biology
Title of Talk: Reconstructing genomes in the presence of hybridizations
Abstract: A homoplasy at a site in the DNA occurs when the value of a character (A, C, G, or T) changes more than once in the evolutionary history. Homoplasies create extra difficulties for reconstructing the evolutionary history of a collection of taxa. Recent interest has grown concerning evolutionary histories that are not described by trees but rather by more general networks that allow for hybridization events. A natural question is, in an idealized situation where homoplasies occur only at hybridization events, whether the characters at the leaves and the root of the network determine the characters at the internal vertices. Mathematically, one has a directed rooted acyclic graph in which the vertices correspond to taxa. At each vertex there is a set of genes. Under appropriate assumptions, the genes at all vertices are determined by the genes at the root and at the leaves.
Year: 2006
Name: Stephen Willson
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Graph theory / mathematical biology
Title of Talk: Reconstructing genomes in the presence of hybridizations
Abstract: A homoplasy at a site in the DNA occurs when the value of a character (A, C, G, or T) changes more than once in the evolutionary history. Homoplasies create extra difficulties for reconstructing the evolutionary history of a collection of taxa. Recent interest has grown concerning evolutionary histories that are not described by trees but rather by more general networks that allow for hybridization events. A natural question is, in an idealized situation where homoplasies occur only at hybridization events, whether the characters at the leaves and the root of the network determine the characters at the internal vertices. Mathematically, one has a directed rooted acyclic graph in which the vertices correspond to taxa. At each vertex there is a set of genes. Under appropriate assumptions, the genes at all vertices are determined by the genes at the root and at the leaves.
ID:
520
Year: 2018
Name: Laura McCauley
Institution: Peru State College
Subject area(s): Graph Theory
Title of Talk: Spot It! with Combinatorics
Abstract: The game of Spot It! consists of 55 game cards, each card has 8 symbols, and each pair of cards has exactly one symbol in common. The idea is to 'spot' the match on your card before the other players 'spot' their match. There are many ways to approach the mathematics behind designing a game of Spot It!. Different fields of mathematics are considered and applied to the problem, ultimately resulting in a beautiful interconnectedness within concepts of Combinatorics.
Year: 2018
Name: Laura McCauley
Institution: Peru State College
Subject area(s): Graph Theory
Title of Talk: Spot It! with Combinatorics
Abstract: The game of Spot It! consists of 55 game cards, each card has 8 symbols, and each pair of cards has exactly one symbol in common. The idea is to 'spot' the match on your card before the other players 'spot' their match. There are many ways to approach the mathematics behind designing a game of Spot It!. Different fields of mathematics are considered and applied to the problem, ultimately resulting in a beautiful interconnectedness within concepts of Combinatorics.
ID:
276
Year: 2010
Name: Jihyeok Choi
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Graph theory
Title of Talk: Monotonicity of mixed Ramsey numbers
Abstract: For two graphs, G, and H, an edge-coloring of a complete graph is (G;H)-good if there is no monochromatic subgraph isomorphic to G and no rainbow subgraph isomorphic to H in this coloring. The set of number of colors used by some (G;H)-colorings of Kn is called a mixed-Ramsey spectrum. In this talk, we will discuss whether the spectrum is an interval. This is joint work with Maria Axenovich.
Year: 2010
Name: Jihyeok Choi
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Graph theory
Title of Talk: Monotonicity of mixed Ramsey numbers
Abstract: For two graphs, G, and H, an edge-coloring of a complete graph is (G;H)-good if there is no monochromatic subgraph isomorphic to G and no rainbow subgraph isomorphic to H in this coloring. The set of number of colors used by some (G;H)-colorings of Kn is called a mixed-Ramsey spectrum. In this talk, we will discuss whether the spectrum is an interval. This is joint work with Maria Axenovich.
ID:
75
Year: 2004
Name: Stephen Willson
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): graph theory
Title of Talk: Building supertrees using distances
Abstract: Suppose that a family of rooted phylogenetic trees Ti with different sets Xi of leaves is given. A supertree for the family would be a single rooted tree T whose leaf set is the union of all the Xi, such that the branching information in T corresponds to the branching information in all the trees Ti. This talk proposes a polynomial-time method BUILD-WITH-DISTANCES that makes essential use of distance information provided on the trees Ti to construct a rooted tree T. When a supertree containing also the distance information exists, then the method produces a supertree T. This supertree often shows increased resolution over the trees found by methods that utilize only the topology of the input trees.
Year: 2004
Name: Stephen Willson
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): graph theory
Title of Talk: Building supertrees using distances
Abstract: Suppose that a family of rooted phylogenetic trees Ti with different sets Xi of leaves is given. A supertree for the family would be a single rooted tree T whose leaf set is the union of all the Xi, such that the branching information in T corresponds to the branching information in all the trees Ti. This talk proposes a polynomial-time method BUILD-WITH-DISTANCES that makes essential use of distance information provided on the trees Ti to construct a rooted tree T. When a supertree containing also the distance information exists, then the method produces a supertree T. This supertree often shows increased resolution over the trees found by methods that utilize only the topology of the input trees.
ID:
394
Year: 2014
Name: Chris Spicer
Institution: Morningside College
Subject area(s): graph theory
Title of Talk: Cops and Robbers on Oriented Graphs
Abstract: Cops and Robbers is a turn-based game traditionally played on graphs. In this talk, we extend this game to oriented graphs. Although a complete characterization of 1-cop-win graphs is known, there is not yet a corresponding characterization for oriented graphs. Necessary conditions are described for an oriented graph to be 1-cop-win, and several results are provided toward finding sufficient conditions.
Year: 2014
Name: Chris Spicer
Institution: Morningside College
Subject area(s): graph theory
Title of Talk: Cops and Robbers on Oriented Graphs
Abstract: Cops and Robbers is a turn-based game traditionally played on graphs. In this talk, we extend this game to oriented graphs. Although a complete characterization of 1-cop-win graphs is known, there is not yet a corresponding characterization for oriented graphs. Necessary conditions are described for an oriented graph to be 1-cop-win, and several results are provided toward finding sufficient conditions.
ID:
174
Year: 2006
Name: Ryan Martin
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Graph Theory
Title of Talk: Vertex identifying codes in graphs: definitions, theorems and open problems
Abstract: In 1998, Karpovsky, Chakrabarty and Levitin introduced a new graph invariant called the vertex identification code. If C is a subset of the vertices, then C is a vertex-identifying code if each set N[v]\cap C is distinct and nonempty, where N[v] denotes the closed neighborhood of vertex v. We will discuss a number of results on the size of the smallest code in a graph, particularly on the Erdos-Renyi random graph and we will present open problems.
Year: 2006
Name: Ryan Martin
Institution: Iowa State University
Subject area(s): Graph Theory
Title of Talk: Vertex identifying codes in graphs: definitions, theorems and open problems
Abstract: In 1998, Karpovsky, Chakrabarty and Levitin introduced a new graph invariant called the vertex identification code. If C is a subset of the vertices, then C is a vertex-identifying code if each set N[v]\cap C is distinct and nonempty, where N[v] denotes the closed neighborhood of vertex v. We will discuss a number of results on the size of the smallest code in a graph, particularly on the Erdos-Renyi random graph and we will present open problems.