Un of Tenn | Math Department

Seminars and Colloquiums
for the week of November 5, 2012

Speakers:

Ms. Yang Shen, Monday
Dr. Arik Kershenbaum, NIMBioS Postdoctoral Fellow, Monday
Mr. Zachary Smith and Dr. Shi Chen, Post Doc, Veterinary School, Wednesday
Prof. Carl Sundberg, Wednesday
Prof. John B. Conway, GWU, Thursday
Prof. John B. Conway, GWU, Friday

**Tea Time this week by "The Applied Guys", Tuesday and Wednesday, 3:00 pm. Everyone welcome!**

Monday, November 5

PROBABILITY SEMINAR
TIME: 3:35 - 4:25 p.m.
ROOM: Ayres Hall 112
SPEAKER: Ms. Yang Shen
TITLE: On Decision Making: Bayesian and Stochastic Organization Approaches
ABSTRACT: Decision analysis provides methods for establishing optimal solutions. We will focus on two real-life problems arising in transportation engineering and computer sciences, respectively. We attack the first problem by providing an appropriate Markov Decision Processes framework, which yields Pareto optimal solution. On the other hand, the second problem is treated via Bayesian Hierarchical approach. This talk is based on the speaker's master thesis directed by Dr. Vasileios Maroulas.

SIAM Student Chapter Seminar
TIME: 3:35 - 4:25 p.m.
ROOM: Ayres Hall 122
SPEAKER: Dr. Arik Kershenbaum, NIMBioS Postdoctoral Fellow
TITLE: Analyzing sequences in animal vocal communication
ABSTRACT: As far as we know, no animal species apart from humans has true language abilities. However, recent research has indicated that more species than expected possess some of the linguistic abilities necessary for the development of language. Vocal syntax, once observed only in birds, has now been shown in cetaceans, bats, rodents, primates and hyraxes. Some of the varied mathematical techniques used to uncover syntactic structure in animal vocalizations will be discussed, including signal processing algorithms for the extraction of frequency modulated tonal elements, machine learning algorithms for classifying vocal elements into “syllables,” and techniques borrowed from bioinformatics for characterizing and comparing such syllable streams. With examples from the rock hyrax, bottlenose dolphin and pilot whale, these techniques are uncovering surprising linguistic abilities among animals, which may shed light on the apparently unique evolution of our own language.

Come to hear the sounds (and their analysis) from rock hyrax, bottlenose dolphin and pilot whale and have pizza before at 3:25pm.

Wednesday, November 7

MATH BIOLOGY SEMINAR
TIME: 10:10 - 11:00 a.m.
ROOM: Dabney 488
SPEAKER: Mr. Zachary Smith and Dr. Shi Chen, Post Doc, Veterinary School
TITLE: Introduction to R and data (Chapter 6/7 of Bolker's book)

ANALYSIS SEMINAR
TIME: 3:35 - 4:25 p.m.
ROOM: Ayres Hall 112
SPEAKER: Prof. Carl Sundberg
TITLE: More on the Transitive Algebra Problem

Thursday, November 8

JUNIOR COLLOQUIUM
TIME: 3:35-4:30 p.m.
ROOM: Ayres Hall 405
SPEAKER: Prof. John B. Conway, GWU
TITLE: Matrices and Topology
ABSTRACT: This talk is meant to show the interaction between linear algebra and the elementary topology of Euclidean space. It is accessible to anyone who has had a course in linear algebra and understands convergence and connectedness in finite dimensional Euclidean space. Student participation will be rewarded.

Pizza available at 3:00 p.m.

Friday, November 9

COLLOQUIUM
TIME: 3:35 - 4:30 p.m.
ROOM: Ayres Hall 405
SPEAKER: Prof. John B. Conway, GWU
TITLE: Subnormal Operators and Function Theory
ABSTRACT: This expository talk explores the intimate relationship between the theory of subnormal operators on Hilbert space and analytic functions of a single variable. Particular emphasis is placed on cyclic subnormal operators and some consequences of Thompson's Theorem on the existence and abundance of bounded point evaluations.

Refreshments will be available at 3:15 p.m.

If you are interested in giving or arranging a talk for one of our seminars or colloquiums,
please review our calendar.

If you have questions, or a date you would like to confirm, please contact colloquium@math.utk.edu.

Past notices:

Seminars from 2011-2012 academic year