Scheduled Speakers, Spring 2020

Date Speaker Title Abstract
Feb 17, 2020 Xingye Qiao, Binghamton University Data Science in Action: Set-valued Classification and Applications to Precision Medicine Classification is a common machine learning task. Precision Medicine refers to selecting treatments that are most likely to help patients based on the patient's unique characteristics. In this lecture, I will talk about the fundamentals of classification, set-valued classification, and how the latter can be applied to achieve precision medicine. I will also talk about the research and education development of data science programs at Binghamton University. No particular knowledge is needed for the talk though knowledge of probability theory and some linear algebra will be helpful.
March 2, 2020 Megan Martinez Crocheting Mathematics Crocheting is a process that turns yarn into fabric. It has been used for centuries to painstakingly create one-of-a-kind fabrics and clothing. More recently, the art of crochet has been used to create physical models of mathematical structures, such as hyperbolic planes, spheres, and manifolds. This provides us a tactile (and crafty!) way to engage with mathematics; indeed, the very process of making a crochet pattern requires a deep understanding of the model you are constructing. In this talk, we will give an overview of different ways crochet has been used to make models, and then dive specifically into how we can construct patterns for volumes of revolution (the ones from Calc II!).
April 20, 2020 Stan Seltzer, by zoom - click here Gerrymandering Every ten years the United States conducts a census, after which the 435 seats in the House of Representatives are apportioned to the states.  The final step in all but the very smallest states that are entitled to one representative is the process of dividing each state into the appropriate number of congressional districts.  (State, county, and municipal districts may also have to be redrawn.)  When districting is done in a way intended to establish an unfair political advantage for a particular party or group by manipulating district boundaries, it is known as gerrymandering.

This brief introduction, based on the gerrymandering unit in Math, Fairness, and Democracy (MATH 16400), will include redistricting principles, gerrymandering strategies, historical and legal background, and some topics that are more mathematical: winner’s bonus, partisan symmetry, efficiency gap, and measures of compactness.  Also lots of pictures and quotes.

Prior Semesters

Scheduled Speakers, Fall 2019

Date Speaker Title Abstract
Sept 16, 2019 Dave Brown American Revolutionary and Civil War Cryptography

“One if by Land Two if by Sea”

This line from Longfellow’s poem describes a secret signal to the patriots about approaching British troops and goes on to commemorate Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride. At the same time, the poem reveals that Revere served as a spy and that the colonists engaged in early attempts at cryptology — sending, receiving, and decoding secret messages. We will explore the role that spycraft and cryptology played in the American Revolution and in the U.S. Civil War. 
Sept 30, 2019 Molly Noel and Jamie Woodworth Summer Research Molly and Jamie will share their experiences from their summer research.
Oct 14, 2019 Ted Galanthay

Shall we play a game? Hawks, Doves, and More

In the 1960's, ecologists began to use game theory to study evolutionary questions on topics such as animal aggression, the sex ratio, and altruism. Further study led to the creation of evolutionary game theory. In contrast to traditional game theory, evolutionary game theory seeks to describe changes in the frequency of strategies over repeated iterations of a game. Typically, the number of players in the game is fixed. In this talk, I will describe recent efforts to integrate population dynamics and evolutionary game theory models to answer questions about the evolution of animal aggression.
Oct 28, 2019 Math Department Preview of Spring Courses Join the department to hear about the courses being offered in the spring!
Nov 11, 2019 Josh Hayden and Heetisha Inderjeet Two Part Talk On Mathematics and Community

Part 1: Data and Donations, Joshua Hayden

A talk on using data to help project donations and find top donor prospects for the Ithaca State Theatre. How data analysis and machine learning can be put to work in the non-profit space to help communities.

Part 2: Application of Math in Real Life, Heetisha Inderjeet

As a math major, people sometimes expect that the only career goal is to teach. However, math can be a career in different ways. This project which involves working with Matthew LeRoux from the Cornell Cooperative Extension (Tompkins County) is a good example. This project consists of working with the cooperative extension partner to evaluate a meat pricing calculator and drill down on significant statistical numbers which will be able to be used for workshops and grant writing.
Dec 2, 2019 Xingye Qiao, Binghamton University Postponed due to snow