# Colloquia

## Tim McCarty

Teaching Calculus Using Infinitesimals

Date: 2/20/2019
Time: 3:30PM-4:30PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract:Calculus has traditionally been taught with an understanding that epsilon-delta limits are its foundation. The publication of Robinson’s Nonstandard Analysis (1961) has shown that this understanding is not absolute and that an infinitesimal-based calculus is
equally valid. In this seminar, I wish to present an argument for teaching first-year calculus with a nonstandard, infinitesimal-based approach. I will begin by briefly discussing the highlights of the historical development of both standard and nonstandard analysis and
then summarize Robinson’s presentation of formal infinitesimals as well as a formal construction of infinitesimals, in the hopes of giving the audience a more-formal understanding of infinitesimals beyond “they’re small.” Next, I will show and discuss textbooks, studies, and papers that teach or address the teaching of infinitesimal-based calculus, and conclude with arguments for why I believe such teaching should be attempted. I hope to end with enough time remaining for brief discussion and audience questions.

All are welcome – this talk is meant to be general-audience and not limited to the RUME community.

Date, Location:
2019-02-20

## Kazuma Shimomoto

What is perfectoid commutative ring theory?

Date: 2/18/2019
Time: 5:00PM-6:00PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: In 2011, Peter Scholze brought brilliant innovation to the world of arithmetic geometry over p-adic fields. While the basic theory of perfectoid spaces was developed from the scratch in his Ph.D. thesis, he succeeded in proving the Deligne's weight-monodromy conjecture" in many non-trivial cases. However, the main tools used in perfectoids are certain big commutative rings.

In this talk, I will start with some historical remarks on the birth of perfectoid spaces and present some basic and important examples of perfectoid rings to get familiar with their ideas. If time permits, I will also talk about some recent results in perfectoid ring theory.

Kazuma Shimomoto

Everyone is welcome to attend, and graduate students are encouraged to come.

Date, Location:
2019-02-18

## Xiaoxian Tang

Applying Algebraic Methods in Mathematical Biology

Date: 2/1/2019
Time: 4:00PM-5:00PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: Many challenging problems in mathematical biology, for instance, in biochemical reaction networks and phylogenetics, involve solving non-linear polynomial systems. Therefore, methods and algorithms in computational algebraic geometry are natural and powerful tools to deal with these problems. However, the existing tools in computer algebra systems have exponential complexities, which might not be applicable for huge systems from biology. One typical example is the multistationarity problem: whether a given biochemical reaction network has two or more positive steady states? In this talk, we develop a simple critical function method to determine multistationarity for a large class of networks arising from biology and to identify the parameter values for which the given network exhibits multistationarity. Particularly, networks having "binomial steady states" are widely seen in biochemistry. For these networks, we prove our method is much less expensive than standard real quantifier elimination methods in computational algebraic geometry.

Date, Location:
2019-02-01

On some problems inspired by Arhangel’skii’s Theorem

Date: 1/30/2019
Time: 4:00PM-5:00PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: Arhangel’skii’s 1969 theorem on the cardinality of compact first-countable spaces is a milestone in set-theoretic topology. Besides solving a 50 year old question of Alexandroff and Urysohn, it introduced techniques that are now standard in the field and opened many new problems which continue to inspire current research. We will speak about our recent solutions to some of these problems, including a question about covering properties of the G_delta topology on a compact space which was posed by Arhangel’skii himself in 1970.

Our talk is based on joint works with Paul Szeptycki and Angelo Bella.

Date, Location:
2019-01-30

## Michelle Homp

Master of Arts for Teachers: A Mathematics Degree Designed with Teachers in Mind

Date: 11/30/2018
Time: 3:30PM-4:30PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: View

Date, Location:
2018-11-30

## David Jorgensen

Beyond Matrix Factorizations

Date: 11/29/2018
Time: 4:00PM-5:00PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: View

David Jorgensen

Date, Location:
2018-11-29

## Will Hall

Math Education Colloquium

Date: 11/28/2018
Time: 4:30PM-5:30PM
Place: 407 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: The biological and life sciences make up 30% of traditional Calculus I students (Bressoud, 2015) and we often build entire courses for these students in which calculus is set within contexts relevant for the biological and life sciences. However, we know very little about the role context plays in how students reason about calculus ideas within the biological and life sciences. These contexts are diverse yet tied together in their application to the life sciences and worthy of specific consideration.

I gave a set of five calculus accumulation tasks to twelve undergraduate life science majors. The data analyzed via open coding from a constructivist grounded theory approach (Charmaz, 2000) and a new analytic tool, local theory diagrams was developed. Results indicate problem context influenced students’ assessment of the viability of their solution strategies as well as enabled them to reason through apparent contradictions in their work. In this talk I will share some of the details from my study and we will spend some time thinking through context-based reasoning within calculus.

Date, Location:
2018-11-28

## Jocelyn Quaintance

Hilbert Spaces, Hilbert Bases, and Fourier Series

Date: 11/14/2018
Time: 4:00PM-5:00PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: In honor of Salah Hamad's dissertation defense, I will give a graduate student accessible
talk discussing the basic theory of Hilbert spaces. In particular, I will define what it means for a Hilbert space
$E$ to have a Hilbert basis $(u_k)_{k\in K}$ and show how the concept of a Hilbert basis provides the canonical representation
of $E$ in terms of $l^2(K)$, namely the famous Riesz-Fischer theorem. Then I will discuss the connection between Hilbert bases and
the Fourier series of a square period function, ending with a brief recap of Joseph Fourier's fascinating life.

Date, Location:
2018-11-14

## Dong Ye

Cyclability and Linkage for Graphs with Local Conditions

Date: 11/9/2018
Time: 3:30PM-4:30PM
Place: 315 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: A graph G is k-cyclable if for any given k vertices, G has a cycle through all the given k vertices. It is well known that a k-connected graph is k-cyclable. A graph G is k-ordered or C_k-linked if for any give k vertices in an ordering, G has a cycle through all the given k vertices in the ordering. More general, a graph in H-linked if there is a injective map f which maps vertices of H to G such that G has a subgraph homeomorphic to H and rooted at f(V(H)). In this talk, we present some results on cyclability and linkage for graphs with extra local conditions, such as, claw-free and locally Hamiltonian etc.

Dong Ye

All are welcome.

Date, Location:
2018-11-09

## William "Bus" Jaco

Student Learning and Success in Entry-level Mathematics: Math Pathways, Corequisite Instruction, and Mathematics Learning by Inquiry

Date: 11/09/2018
Time: 3:30PM-4:30PM
Place: 121 Armstrong Hall

Abstract: We will facilitate a discussion of the program led by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to enhance student learning and success in mathematics across Oklahoma. We will discuss the structures of Math Pathways (to Completion) and Corequisite Instruction (at Scale) that are being implemented at all public institutions of higher education across Oklahoma, taking a closer look at these structural changes at OSU. While these structural changes are not easy, they are fairly straightforward and from them we are seeing measurable successes. However, a consequence of these changes and the need to address the Task Force Goals for enhanced student engagement, increased applications of mathematics and support for academic success skills dictate necessary classroom instructional changes that will require a shift in departmental culture and faculty and advisor professional development. The newly funded Mathematics Inquiry Project is a statewide program to address these challenging changes.

William Jaco

Date, Location:
2018-11-09