Georgia Institute of Technology College of Sciences

The Tech Topology Conference brings together established and beginning researchers from around the country for a weekend of mathematics in Atlanta. Check back soon for more details. We are pleased to announce this year's speakers:

• Tori Akin (Duke University)
• Lei Chen (University of Chicago)
• Diana Hubbard (University of Michigan)
• Tye Lidman (North Carolina State University)
• Ciprian Manolescu (UCLA)
• Emmy Murphy (Northwestern University)
• Balázs Strenner (Georgia Tech)

The 2017 conference features a session of five-minute lightning talks.

If you are interested in giving such a talk (on behalf of your work or someone else’s) please see the "Registration and Support" page.
Deadline for submitting proposals for Lightning Talks is October 31.

organizers: J. Etnyre, J. Hom, P. Lambert-Cole, J. Lanier, C. Leverson, D. Margalit, and B. Strenner
Supported by the NSF and the Georgia Institute of Technology

The "Quolloquium" series is a set of talks at the colloquium level intended to update the local mathematics community on the topics discussed at QMath13, an international conference that took place at Tech in October, 2016.   Qmath13 broadly covered the mathematical aspects of quantum mechanics, including such fields as models with randomness, quantum information, many-body theory, and models on graphs and similar structures, as well as an open-ended topic of current mathematical problems in theoretical physics.  It is taking place at approximately two-week intervals in Fall Semester, 2017 and may extend into Spring Semester, 2018.

The workshop is a part of GTMAP activities of  the thematic semester on Dynamics (Fall 2017). 

This is a half day workhop on a panorama of mathematical questions in Dynamical Systems, presented by some people in the school of Mathematics and Physics.

2-2:30 Chongchun Zeng on "Wind-driven water waves and hydrodynamic instability"
2:30-3 Leonid Bunimovich on "Isospectral compression of multidimensional systems and networks"
3-3:30 Roman Grigoriev on "Streamwise Localization of Traveling Wave Solutions in Channel Flow"

3:30-4 BREAK

4-4:30 Albert Fathi on "The Pageault barrier: a tool to find the recurrent part of a dynamical system"
4:30-5 Rafael de la Llave on "Perturbations of quasi-periodic orbits: From Theory to computations."

Prof. Chongchun Zeng (GT MATH)

Talk title: Wind-driven water waves and hydrodynamic instability

Abstract:  In this talk, we consider the mathematical theory of wind-generated water waves in the framework of the interface problem between two incompressible inviscid fluids under the influence of gravity. This entails the careful study of the stability of the shear flow solutions to the interface problem of the two-phase Euler equation. Based on a rigorous derivation of the linearized equations about shear flow solutions, we obtained rigorously the linear instability criterion of Miles due to the presence of the critical layer in the steady shear flows. Our analysis is valid even in the presence of surface tension and a vortex sheet (discontinuity in the tangential velocity across the air--sea interface).  We are thus able to give a unified equation including the Kelvin--Helmholtz and quasi-laminar models of wave generation put forward by Miles.

Prof. Leonid Bunimovich (GT MATH)

Talk title: Isospectral compression of multidimensional systems and networks

Abstract: When dealing with large networks it is tempting to compress such object while keeping, as much as possible, information about it. for a great majority of real world networks all information about them is contained in their weighted adjacency. Laplace or some other matrix. I will talk about theory of isospectral transformations which  in particular allows to compress a network keep all information about spectrum and eigenvectors of these matrices. Applications of this theory allowed to advance several areas of research and extract more information from real data than various other methods. It also allows to get new types of visualization of networks via building various their skeletons. This approach/theory is applicable to undirected and to directed networks.

Prof. Roman Grigoriev (GT PHYSICS)

Talk Title: Streamwise Localization of Traveling Wave Solutions in Channel Flow

Abstract: Channel flow of an incompressible fluid at Reynolds numbers above 2400 possesses a number of different spatially localized solutions which approach the laminar flow far upstream and downstream. We use one such relative time-periodic solution that corresponds to a spatially localized version of a Tollmien-Schlichting wave to illustrate how the upstream and downstream asymptotics can be computed analytically. In particular, we show that for these spanwise uniform states the asymptotics predict exponential localization that has been observed for numerically computed solutions of several canonical shear flows but never properly understood theoretically.

Prof. Albert Fathi (GT MATH)

Talk Title: The Pageault barrier: a tool to find the recurrent part of a dynamical system

Abstract: If f is a (invertible) dynamical system on a (compact) space X. Usually one is interested in the behavior of the sequence f^n(x), for n -> infinity, but also in control problems in the Lyapunov stable states (for example a stable attracting equilibrium) and sometime in the Lyapunov saddle state (like a saddle point of a gradient system). To find these states Conley introduced an approach through chain recurrence and Lyapunov functions. The purpose of this lecture is to introduce the Pageault barrier to study these problems. This a more metric approach, meaning that we can introduce a kind of distance that allows to locate the pieces where the recurrent dynamics is occurring.

Prof. Rafael de la Llave (GT MATH)

Talk Title: Perturbations of quasi-periodic orbits: From Theory to computations.

Abstract: Since the time if Hyparco, it was known that the motion of celestial bodies is approximately given by epicycles. In modern language, expressed in Fourier series of a few frequencies, which we now call quasi-periodic. In modern language, these quasi-periodic solutions are landmarks that organize the behavior of a Hamiltonian system.

The mathematically rigorous theory of persistence of quasi-periodic solutions is rather recent. Late 50's, early 60's with the work of Kolmogorov, Arnold, Moser (KAM). The theory is rather subtle since it involves high regularity as well as number theory. We will describe some new proofs that lead to very efficient algorithms as well as provide condition numbers that guarantee that the computations are correct.

Bio]
1) Prof. Chongchun Zeng: After post-docs at NYU, and 5 years at Univ of Virginia, Chongchun Zeng joined the School of Mathematics in 2005, where he has been professor since 2009.  Zeng is a leader in use of dynamical systems tools to study PDEs.

2) Prof. Leonid Bunimovich: After training at Moscow University and the Institute of Theoretical Physics in Moscow, Bunimovich joined the School of Mathematics, where he is a Regents' professor.  World famous for the discovery of a fundamental mechanism of chaos, Bunimovch has wide ranging interests in ergodic theory, statistical mechanics, mathematical biology, and probability.

3) Prof. Roman Grigoriev obtained his MS from Moscow State University and PhD from Caltech. After two years as a postdoc at the University of Chicago, he joined the School of Physics in 2000.  His research group studies a variety of topics related to nonlinear dynamics and pattern formation in out-of-equilibrium systems. Iinterests include deterministic modeling of fluid turbulence, phase change and heat transfer in fluids, and dynamical and topological description of cardiac arrhythmias.

4) Prof. Albert Fathi was educated in Paris and Orsay. He held positions in Paris (France), Gainesville (Florida) and Lyon (France). His mathematical interests are Topology, Geometry, Dynamical Systems and PDE.

5) Prof. Rafael de la Llave joined the School of Mathematics in August 2010, after having held positions at Princeton and the Univ. of Texas at Austin. He has wide ranging interests in dynamical systems and mathematical physics, spanning from KAM theory and hyperbolic dynamics to stability of matter and optics.  He also has interest in combining analytical and numerical techniques to study dynamics.

The Georgia Institute of Technology is launching the new Transdisciplinary Research Institute for Advancing Data Science (TRIAD), a cross-disciplinary institute established with a $1.5 million National Science Foundation (NSF) award. TRIAD includes faculty from across Georgia Tech in a collaborative effort to develop the foundations of data science.

The TRIAD Kickoff event includes a panel discussion featuring TRIAD leadership and remarks from special guests including Executive Vice President for Research Stephen Cross and Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Rafael Bras, as well as talks from participating faculty members.

Buffet lunch served at 11 am. 

Please RSVP: http://bit.ly/2htKyLx

Calling on all Yellow Jackets with BIG ideas.  

TEDxGeorgiaTech is turning its platform over to you!

The upcoming Student Speaker Salon will feature students (just like you) sharing their ideas, stories, or perspectives on any topic or issue they are passionate about. Don’t limit yourself

TEDxGeorgiaTech is turning its platform over to you! The upcoming Student Speaker Salon will feature students (just like you) sharing their ideas, stories, or perspectives on any topic or issue they are passionate about.

Don’t limit yourself. TEDxGeorgiaTech wants to hear your authentic ideas, whether you’re a scientist, an innovator, musician, techie, or spoken word artist!

Think big, think small, and then think big again! Public-speaking experience is not required, just an #ideaworthspreading and a desire to make an impact.

Spread the word, and start applying! This is the platform you’ve been waiting for.

The Student Speaker Salon application can be found at: http://bit.ly/tedstudentspeaker and closes October 8th at 11:59pm.

The event will be held November 7th, so even if you’re not interested in applying, keep an eye out for ticket information!

Have you ever felt like you lead a double life, or perhaps like you haven't quite reconciled your past self with your current self? Maybe you intentionally pretend to be someone you aren't, or it could be that you've just taken awhile to embrace your true self. Join us as our storytellers explore these very ideas and the role that science played in their path towards self discovery. Maybe, in listening, you'll even learn a bit about your own true self as well. 

Hosted by Meisa Salaita and Kellie Vinal.

This is a part of GT MAP activities and Themetic semester on Dynamics.

There will be light refreshments through out the event.  The seminars will be held at Skiles 006.

Prof. Fumin Zhang (GT ECE) and his associate will present their research.

3:00PM - 3:45PM  Prof. Fumin Zhang (GT ECE) will give a talk on  "Bio-Inspired Autonomy for Mobile Sensor Network."

3:45PM -- 4:00PM Break with Discussions

4:00PM - 4:25PM  Said Al Abri will give the second talk

4:25PM - 5PM Discussion of open problems stemming from the presentations.

Talk Title]

Bio-Inspired Autonomy for Mobile Sensor Networks

Abstract]

There is an increasing trend for robots to serve as networked mobile sensing platforms that are able to collect data and interact with humans in various types of environment in unprecedented ways.  The need for undisturbed operation posts higher goals for autonomy. This talk reviews recent developments in autonomous collective foraging in a complex environment that explicitly integrates insights from biology with models and provable strategies from control theory and robotics. The methods are rigorously developed and tightly integrated with experimental effort with promising results achieved.

Bio]

Dr. Fumin Zhang joined Georgia Tech's School of Electrical and Computer Engineering in 2007 as an assistant professor. He received a PhD degree in 2004 from the University of Maryland (College Park) in Electrical Engineering, and held a postdoctoral position in Princeton University from 2004 to 2007. His B.S. and M.S. degrees, both in electrical engineering, are from Tsinghua University in Beijing.

All students interested in graduate studies in the School of Math are invited to attend our Prospective Student Day which will be held on Friday, September 22, 2017 from 2pm to 5pm in Skiles 006. Students from underrepresented groups and from the Atlanta area or Georgia are particularly encouraged to attend.

This is a part of GT MAP activities and Themetic semester on Dynamics.

There will be light refreshments through out the event.  The seminars will be held at Skiles 006.

Prof. Martin Short and his student will present their research.

3:00PM - 3:45PM  Prof. Martin Short will give a talk on  "Modeling and predicting urban crime – How data assimilation helps bridge the gap between stochastic and continuous models."

3:45PM -- 4:00PM Break with Discussions

4:00PM - 4:25PM  Tongzhou Chen will give the second talk on "Game Theoretical Model of Religious Group Evolution. "

4:25PM - 5PM Discussion of open problems stemming from the presentations.

Talk Title]

Modeling and predicting urban crime – How data assimilation helps bridge the gap between stochastic and continuous models

Abstract]

Data assimilation is a powerful tool for combining mathematical models with real-world data to make better predictions and estimate the state and/or parameters of dynamical systems. In this talk I will give an overview of some work on models for predicting urban crime patterns, ranging from stochastic models to differential equations. I will then present some work on data assimilation techniques that have been developed and applied for this problem, so that these models can be joined with real data for purposes of model fitting and crime forecasting.

Second talk title]

Game Theoretical Model of Religious Group Evolution

Second talk abstract]

Religious groups produce collective goods. The group’s production is
increasing in members’ contributions. Religious services can be represented
by a unidimensional trait called "strictness", that dictates the minimum
contribution of members. Individuals may have preferences on religious
groups of certain strictness levels, but they only can switch to such group
if they've been sufficiently exposed to it previously. In this talk, we
present a model about the evolution of populations of religious affiliations
with different strictness levels and some analytical results of
2-affiliation case.

Bio] Martin Short  is an Assistant Professor in the Schools Mathematics at Georgia Institute of Technology. He received a PhD in Physics from the University of Arizona in 2006.   After being CAM Assistant professor in Department of Mathematics at UCLA,  he join GT in 2013.  His current research involves the modeling of certain types of human activity that exhibit regular spatio- and/or temporal patterns, the role of advection in the evolution of aquatic microorganisms, and Growth and formation of stalactites and icicles.