Undergraduate Mathematics Students

Gates Scholarship goes to Ryan Going

Ryan Going was one of 37 students awarded the Gates Scholarship.  Ryan will graduate in May with BS degrees in Applied Math and Electrical Engineering.

The Sunday N&O article is a good read -->

www.newsobserver.com/news/tarheel/story/1414545.html

(Current students -- the Fellowship Advising Office is a good place to help identify opportunities like this, www.ncsu.edu)

Posted at 09:49AM Feb 23, 2009 by scroggs in General  |  Comments[0]

REU @ the University of Central Florida

Math & Physics REU program at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, FL.

The program, entitled Differential Equations in Classical and Quantum Physics, is an
interdisciplinary program between the departments of Physics and Math at the University of Central Florida which has a strong focus on various theoretical, computational, and experimental aspects of differential equations. Classical, as well Quantum Mechanical applications applications in the domain of physics will be studied.

Participants will

--- receive a salary of $4,000
--- be reimbursed up to $400 for travel to Orlando from their home institution.
--- be provided free housing.
--- be given free books worth up to $300.
--- enjoy one week paid housing for vacations in Orlando (May 17-May 23).

For more information, please see

http://reu.physics.ucf.edu/

Posted at 02:52PM Feb 20, 2009 by scroggs in Internships, REUs, etc.  |  Comments[0]

SUM Series, Thursday, Feb. 26: Solving Nonlinear Equations, C. T. Kelley

Solving Nonlinear Equations
C. T. Kelley
Thursday, February 26, 2009
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

This talk is a short tutorial on numerical methods for systems of nonlinear equations. I'll begin with Newton's method for scalar equations (i.e. the one from intro calc) and show how the method for systems is essentially the same. I will review convergence theory, implementation alternatives, and a few of the problems one encounters when one solves equations for a living. Finally I will tell you why you should be a root-finder and discuss the career possibilities in this field.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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Posted at 11:56AM Feb 20, 2009 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Undergrad Research Conference at Francis Marion U.

The Department of Mathematics at Francis Marion University is pleased to announce its fifth annual mathematics conference, the spring 2009 Francis Marion Undergraduate Mathematics Conference.  The conference will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2009 on the campus of Francis Marion University in Florence, South Carolina.  Students enrolled in institutions in the Carolinas and Georgia are strongly encouraged to participate. Funding for the conference is provided by Francis Marion University, Cengage Learning and MAA-NSF grant DMS-0536991 through the MAA Regional Undergraduate Mathematics Conferences program.

Registration and updated information are available online at

       http://acsweb.fmarion.edu/math/conference/homepage.htm

 FYI -- Francis Marion University is about 2 1/2 hours from NCSU.

 

Posted at 10:16AM Feb 17, 2009 by scroggs in Conferences and Meetings  |  Comments[0]

Study Abroad -- there is still time to apply!

Dear Colleagues,

 It's not too late for your students to apply for summer study  abroad!

The Study Abroad Office is still accepting applications until March 13th for summer '09 study abroad programs. Decisions are based on rolling admissions, so students are encouraged to apply
now! 

These programs are led by NCSU faculty and students receive direct NCSU credit for enrolling in the courses offered. Students can apply by visiting our website at: http://studyabroad.ncsu.edu/

Posted at 01:55PM Feb 16, 2009 by scroggs in Courses and Advising  |  Comments[0]

SUM Series, Thursday, Feb. 19: The Mathematics of Sports, John Griggs

The Mathematics of Sports
John Griggs
Thursday, February 19, 2009
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

Why not use the prevalence of sports in today's society to teach and learn mathematics? Sports statistics (greens in regulation, earned run average, on-base percentage, assist-to-turnover ratio, etc.), sports algorithms (quarterback passing efficiency, slugging percentage, etc.) and sports rankings (BCS, Sagarin, AP, etc.) all have interesting applied math connections. Let's examine some of these together.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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Posted at 09:39AM Feb 16, 2009 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Talk--Economist William Easterly: The Poor Have a Dream: Freedom for All and the Escape from Global Poverty

Topic: The Poor Have a Dream: Freedom for All and the Escape from Global Poverty

Note: A post-lecture reception will be held in the Nelson Hall Student Commons (second floor).

William A. Easterly is professor of economics at New York University and co-director of the NYU Development Research Institute. He also is a research associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research.

mgt.ncsu.edu/pope-lecture

 

Posted at 02:17PM Feb 14, 2009 by scroggs in Conferences and Meetings  |  Comments[0]

The Biostatistics Summer Undergraduate Research and Education (BSURE) Program

DO YOU ENJOY QUANTITATIVE SUBJECTS?  INTERESTED IN MATH, MEDICINE, PUBLIC HEALTH OR BIOLOGY?   DO YOU WANT TO APPLY YOUR MATH AND STATISTICS SKILLS TO HEALTH- RELATED FIELDS?  BIOSTATISTICS MAY BE A PERFECT FIT FOR YOU!

Visit our website:

http://www.sph.unc.edu/bios/bsure_9974_9556.html

Posted at 01:16PM Feb 13, 2009 by scroggs in Internships, REUs, etc.  |  Comments[0]

Feb 13 -- Training Opportunities to Prepare for Graduate School

RTM: Friday, February 13
Time: 3:00-4:00
HA 330

Panel: RTG and Departmental Faculty
Topic: Training Opportunities to Prepare for Graduate School

Most students know that good grades and comprehensive coursework are necessary to be accepted to top graduate programs.  However, there are a number of factors that can augment your background to both improve your chances for grad school acceptance and success in a subsequent career.  These include summer internships, REU, research experiences during the year, etc.

The Feb 13 RTM will focus on these additional training opportunities and hence it should be of interest for all undergraduates considering graduate school.

Please note that you can find more information regarding both the RTG and associated RTM at the website

    http://www4.ncsu.edu/~mahaider/NCSU_RTG_Site/RTG_Homepage.html

Thanks and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Ralph Smith

Posted at 10:51AM Feb 12, 2009 by scroggs in Internships, REUs, etc.  |  Comments[0]

SUM Series, Thursday, Feb. 12: The Mechanics of Tissue Dynamics, Sharon R. Lubkin

The Mechanics of Tissue Dynamics
Sharon R. Lubkin
Thursday, February 12, 2009
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

Tissues grow, change shape, and differentiate, function normally or abnormally, get diseased or injured, repair themselves, and sometimes atrophy. This complex suite of behaviors is governed by a complex suite of controls. Nonetheless, we can identify some general principles at work in the dynamics of tissues. Our goal is to understand how a tissue’s mechanics and biology regulate each other.

Our models use biologically-based continuum mechanics to track the component cells, fluids, signaling molecules, and extracellular matrix materials. The presentation will describe our modeling approach, reveal some of the general principles we have identified, and discuss some of the questions our findings have raised about specific developmental systems.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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Posted at 09:36AM Feb 11, 2009 by scroggs in Conferences and Meetings  |  Comments[0]

SAMSI/CRSC Undergraduate Workshop

2008-2009 Education and Outreach Program
SAMSI/CRSC Undergraduate Workshop, May 18 - 22, 2009 at North Carolina State University

GENERAL INFORMATION
http://www.samsi.info/workshops/2008ug-workshop200905.shtml#general_info

SAMSI will host a one week undergraduate workshop intended for college juniors and seniors focused on SAMSI research activities related to the statistical and applied mathematical modeling and analysis of experimental data.  During the first day, a summary of research activities in the 2008-2009 programs on  Sequential Monte Carlo Methods, and Algebraic Methods in Systems Biology and Statistics will be presented.  During days two through five, participants will be involved in a hands-on experience. They will use mathematical and statistical models to analyze experimental data they collect in the CRSC/Math Instructional Research Lab on the NC State University campus.

Applications will be considered beginning February 10, 2009 and continuing until April 3, 2009, but registration will likely be closed before that date, as workshop capacity is reached. Successful applicants will be notified of their acceptance as soon as a decision on their application is reached.

REGISTRATION

Applicants should use the on-line application form (http://www.samsi.info/200809/ug/ug-application200905.html) and also have one letter of recommendation sent to ugworkshop200905@samsi.info. Participants are expected to arrive for the workshop on Sunday, May 17, 2009 and remain in continuous attendance until 12:00 pm on Friday, May 22, 2009.

Please direct questions concerning the workshop to ugworkshop200905@samsi.info.

Posted at 09:35AM Feb 11, 2009 by scroggs in Conferences and Meetings  |  Comments[0]

Thursday, February 5: Binomial coefficients and beyond

Come enjoy this week's SUM Series talk:

Binomial coefficients and beyond
Patricia Hersh
Thursday, February 5, 2009
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

If you multiply out the product (x+y)ⁿ, the coefficient of x^ky^n-k is known as a binomial coefficient. For instance, (x+y)⁴ = x⁴ + 4x³y + 6x²y² + 4xy³ + y⁴. The coefficient of $x^ky^n-k counts subsets of {1,...,n} of size k, so for instance there are 6 subsets of {1,2,3,4} of size 2. This coefficient also counts the paths from (0,0) to (2,2) in the plane comprised of steps (1,0) and (0,1). But what if x and y don't commute? What if yx = qxy? It turns out the coefficients now count paths in a more refined way, with the coefficient of q^Ax^ky^n-k counting paths from (0,0) to (k,n-k) having area A below the path. I will discuss this result and some other interesting properties of this q-analogue of binomial coefficients that can be proven using a mixture of linear algebra and group theory or in an especially slick way using the representation theory of sl₂.

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A sad announcement: SUM Series pizza has become a casualty of the economic downturn. The pizza money is still in the SUM budget, but the State of NC says we're not allowed to spend it. (This is part of a statewide freeze on certain types of expenditures.) We're forced to test whether people are coming for the math or for the pizza!

A happier announcement: Our speaker, Patricia Hersh, has graciously offered to bring chocolate this Thursday, so we won't starve!

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 11:43AM Feb 02, 2009 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Summer Institutes for Training in Biostatistics

Summer 2009 Opportunities for Undergraduate Students for Training
in Biostatistics

SIBS (Summer Institutes for Training in Biostatistics) is scheduled this
summer June 8--July 17.  SIBS is open to all US undergraduates (citizens
or permanent residents).  Sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood
Institute, the program has been very successful, but space is limited!

The program flyer (http://www.stat.ncsu.edu/sibs/SIBSbrochure_2009.pdf)
explains that SIBS is offered at three sites: Boston University, North
Carolina State University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Further details are given at the individual websites listed on the flyer.

For more information please see our program web sites:

Boston University - http://sph.bu.edu/sibs
North Carolina State University - http://www.stat.ncsu.edu/sibs
University of Wisconsin-Madison - http://www.biostat.wisc.edu/Educational_Resources/SIBS/index.htm

Posted at 11:22AM Feb 01, 2009 by scroggs in Internships, REUs, etc.  |  Comments[0]

Credit Suisse is looking for summer interns in both IT-Finance and Operations area.

Thanks to Financial Math Alum Saumya Gupta for bringing this to our attention.

Credit Suisse is looking for summer interns in both IT-Finance and Operations area.

• Description 1: http://www.math.ncsu.edu/finmath/news/2009csInternship1.pdf
• Description 2: http://www.math.ncsu.edu/finmath/news/2009csInternship2.pdf
  

Consult Mr. Ingram with your questions (http://www.ncsu.edu/career/quicklinks/staff.php?view=students)

Posted at 10:18AM Jan 30, 2009 by scroggs in Jobs  |  Comments[0]

Summer Internship at LORD, a local company

www.ncspacegrant.org

Posted at 04:46PM Jan 29, 2009 by scroggs in Jobs  |  Comments[0]

Thursday, January 22: The abc conjecture (and pizza!)

Come enjoy this week's SUM Series talk:

The abc conjecture
Alina Duca
Thursday, January 22, 2009
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

It is often the case in number theory, that a reasonable question is very easy to ask yet extremely difficult or even impossible to answer. The most famous example, of course, is Fermat’s Last Theorem, the proof of which eluded mathematicians for more than 300 years.

In recent years a problem has arisen for which the search for a proof might turn out to be as turbulent as Fermat’s Last Theorem. The abc conjecture was formulated in 1985 by J.Oesterle and D.Masser. It is very easy to state, yet nonetheless has far-reaching implications throughout number theory; and it is probable that if a proof is found, it too will have deep consequences beyond the conjecture itself.

In mathematics it is often possible to translate a problem from one area to another, in the hope that the resulting question is easier to tackle and offers insight for the original. We will discuss first the abc conjecture for polynomials, then we will see how this theorem can be translated into the abc conjecture about ordinary integers.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 10:15AM Jan 21, 2009 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Jobs for Graduates & Career Fairs

Dear Math Seniors:

Below you will see some (not all) of the current Interview Schedules & Job Postings in ePack for Mathematics candidates:

INTERVIEW SCHEDULES:

Prudential
Title:  Financial Sevice Association
Deadline to apply in epack: sign up for interview until 2/5/09
Interview Date:  2/9/09

US Census Bureau
Title: Mathematical Statistician/Statistician/IT Specialist (sched. #1582)  2.95 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack: 1/19/09
Interview Date:  2/3/09

Merck & Co.
Title: Information Tech. (sched. #1573) 
Deadline to apply in epack: 1/19/09
Interview Date:  2/3/09

MIT Lincoln Labs
Title:  Various Technical Positions (sched. #1561)  3.25 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack:  1/21/09
Interview Date:  2/5/09

Lockheed Martin
Title:  Computer Science Position (sched. #1564)  2.8 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack:  1/22/09
Interview Date:  2/6/09

Baker Hughes
Title: Geoscientist/scientist (sched. #1590) 3.0 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack:  1/29/09
Interview Date:  2/13/09

CGI Technologies & Solutions, Inc.
Title:  Programmer/Business Analyst (sched. #1615) 3.0 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack:  2/3/09 
Interview Date:  2/18

Wolseley NA
Title:  Trainee Program (sched.  #1595) 
Deadline to apply in epack:  2/5/09
Interview Date:  2/17/09

Coyote Logistics
Title:  Acct. Manager (sched. #1543)  2.0 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack:  2/6/09
Interview Date:  2/16/09

Harris Corp.
Title:  Software Eng. (sched. #1566)  2.8 gpa
Deadline to apply in epack:  2/11/09
Interview Date:  2/26
**********************************************************************************************************************************

JOB POSTINGS:

US Census Bureau
Title:  Mathematical Statistician/Statistician/IT Specialist (job #10207)  2.95 gpa
Deadline to apply:  go to epack for application instructions       1/19/09

US EPA
Title:  Student Contractor (job #s 10353 & 10361)  
Deadline to apply:  go to epack for further application instructions    1/23/09

Epic Systems Corp.
Title:  Software Dev./Eng. (job #10344)
Deadline to apply: apply via epack       2/27/09

Fischer Jordan LLC
Title:  Data Analyst (job #10346) 
Deadline to apply:  go to epack for application instructions  3/7/09

Opus Trading Fund
Title:  Equity Trader (job #6425) 3.0 gpa
Deadline to apply:  go to epack for contact info.  3/31/09

AON Corp.
Title: Retirement Actuarial Association  (jobs #9504 & 9487) 3.0 gpa
Deadline to apply:  go to epack for application instructions      3/10/09 & 3/11/09

ASG, Inc.
Title:  Clinical Applications Specialist (job #5605) 3.0 gpa
Deadline to apply: go to epack for contact info.    apply thru 12/09
***********************************************************************************************************************


NOTE:
Be reminded of the upcoming career fairs if you are interested:
http://www.ncsu.edu/career/students/quicklinks/careerfairs.php 

Management in Collaboration with CHASS Career Fair
Feb. 2, in McKimmon Center
10am to 4pm

Engineering Career Fair  
Feb. 4 & 5
9:30am to 4pm (both days)

**Set up appt. to check your resume, or if you have other questions.  Call 515-2396 or email me at dr_ingram@ncsu.edu **


D.R. Ingram
Univ. Career Center
NCSU

Posted at 03:07PM Jan 09, 2009 by scroggs in Jobs  |  Comments[0]

Math + Pizza = SUM Series

Like math? Like pizza? How about math and pizza simultaneously?

Every Thursday from 3:00 to 3:50, you can listen to an informal, interesting talk about mathematics, while snacking on pizza. Just come to Harrelson Hall, room 330.

This week's talk:

Regular Polytopes and Tessellations
(Why life is more interesting in low dimension)
Nathan Reading
Thursday, January 15, 2009
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

Polytopes (known in dimensions zero through three as "points," "line segments," "polygons," and "polyhedra") have been objects of interest to mathematicians throughout the recorded history of mathematics. Most notably, the five Platonic solids were probably known at least a thousand years before Plato. Regular polytopes are "as symmetric as possible" in a sense that I'll make precise in the talk. Regular tessellations are tilings of space which are symmetric in an analogous sense.

I will discuss the proof that the symmetry groups of regular polytopes and tessellations are generated by reflections and discuss how that leads to a complete classification of regular polytopes and tessellations (via the theory of reflection groups). This will explain why there are so few regular polytopes and tessellations in high dimensions.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 09:06AM Jan 09, 2009 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Summer Program in Quantitative Sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health

From: "Catherine Haskell" <CHASKELL@hsph.harvard.edu>

Date: November 24, 2008 3:26:57 PM EST

To: "Catherine Haskell" <CHASKELL@hsph.harvard.edu>

Subject: 2009 Harvard Summer Program announcement

Dear Math and Statistics Department Heads and Administrators:

I would very much appreciate your forwarding the below information about the 2009 Summer Program in Quantitative Sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health to your undergraduates. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for mathematically inclined under-represented minorities, including low income and first generation college students and recent BA graduates.

 Many thanks,

Catherine Haskell

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Summer Program in Quantitative Sciences at the Harvard School of Public Health

May 30, 2009 - June 28, 2009

Website for Eligibility & Requirements:

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostats/diversity/summer/

 

Deadline for Application: February 15, 2009

 

If you like mathematics and would like to learn how quantitative methods can be applied in the study of human health, then the Summer Program in Quantitative Sciences is for you.  This includes those of you who may have been thinking about Wall Street just a few months ago!  The Summer Program will introduce you to power and excitement of math applications to public health, medicine, and biology, and possibly convince you that this is the career direction you've been looking for!

 

The Summer Program is an intensive 4-week program, during which highly qualified undergraduates receive a whirlwind introduction to the fields of biostatistics and epidemiology and to the use of quantitative methods for biological, environmental, public health, and medical research. The program also provides advice about graduate school and the application process through GRE preparation, meetings with different departments of the Harvard School of Public Health, and individualized mentoring by Harvard faculty.

 

Participants take non-credit introductory courses in biostatistics and Stata (a statistical program), and attend a series of afternoon topical seminars. The seminars, led by faculty members from various departments at the Harvard School of Public Health, are designed to broaden participant's understanding of the relationship of biostatistics to human health by providing a snapshot of methods developed and applied to real research projects in different fields.

 

Participants also gain research experience through small-group research projects directed by faculty and graduate student mentors.  Students apply statistical methods to real data to address important and timely questions.  For example, one group of students recently studied whether there was a relationship between body mass index and postpartum depression. Another group analyzed data from a clinical trial to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. And another research project examined the effects of arsenic exposure on proteomic profiles in Bangladesh.  At the end of the program, students present their research to the group and to affiliated faculty.

 

Alumni of the Summer Program have earned or are enrolled in graduate degrees in many campuses over the country, including Masters or PhDs in Biostatistics and Epidemiology.

 

Quantitative skills are required, including course work in calculus.   Room and board, travel, and a living stipend of approximately $1700/month is provided.  Please email any questions to:  biostat_diversity@hsph.harvard.edu.

 

Catherine Haskell, Diversity Program Coordinator
Dept. of Biostatistics, Harvard School of Public Health
655 Huntington Avenue, Bldg. 2 - 4th floor Boston, MA  02115-6017
Tel: (617) 432-3175     Fax: (617) 432-5619
chaskell@hsph.harvard.edu

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/biostats/diversity/summer/spb-intro.html

Posted at 03:40PM Dec 23, 2008 by scroggs in Courses and Advising  |  Comments[0]

NASA/MUST Internship Invitation!

The MUST Project is Accepting Applications NOW!  The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is sponsoring the Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology (MUST) Project and is now accepting applications for the 2009-2010 academic year. The MUST Project offers support to undergraduate students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Program participants receive a scholarship, NASA internship, mentoring and access to a wealth of professional development opportunities. Project offerings include: A one-year competitive scholarship covering up to one-half of tuition and fees, not to exceed $10,000 per academic year. the scholarship is renewable through the scholar's junior year provided that all eligibility criteria are continually satisfied, A 10-week paid summer internship at one of ten nationwide NASA Centers. Scholars receive a $6,000 stipend plus transportation and location allowance not to exceed $1,000, Support from MUST Professional and Academic Support System (PASS)  providing scholars with an online student community and professional development/leadership training, and Invaluable resources, insight, and experience to further STEM education and career aspirations from the MUST Consortium, which is comprised of three member organizations: the Hispanic College Fund (HCF), the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation (UNCFSP), and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE). Eligibility requirements: Must be a U.S. citizen from underserved and underrepresented groups (i.e., women, minorities, and person with disabilities) in STEM disciplines, including those residing in rural and economically disadvantaged communities, Must reside in the United States or a U.S. Territory, Be a college freshman, sophomore or junior and hold a full-time academic status at the an accredited college or university (in the U.S. or U.S. territory) for the 2009-2010 academic year, Must earn and maintain a cumulative grade point averal of no less than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted), and must be enrolled in STEM disciplines whose major are aligned with NASA's core competencies (physical science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degree). Deadline for Applications: February 2, 2009 Visit www.uncfsp.org/must for more information or to apply You may also contact Ms. Porsche Parker at (650) 961-1101

Posted at 01:41PM Dec 23, 2008 by scroggs in Scholarships and Grants  |  Comments[0]

A Study-break with Donald Duck (and pizza!)

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Math Movie Nite (in the afternoon)
Thursday, December 4, 2008
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 107
**Not the usual location**

Need a break from studying? Come enjoy a Math Movie Nite sponsored by the NCSU Society for Undergraduate Mathematics. We’ll start out with a few classic film clips of mathematical manipulations by the experts. Experts in comedy, not mathematics. Then on to our feature:

Donald in Mathmagic Land (Walt Disney Productions, 1959).

This film is a true classic. Some of us are old enough to remember seeing this in Middle School. If, instead of relaxing, you’d rather keep your mind active in preparation for finals, you can look for all the mathematical mistakes that Disney made in the movie.

Pizza provided as always!

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The SUM Series will continue on Thursdays 3:00-3:50 in the Spring Semester of 2009. Check out the SUM Series website for more information.

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 10:40AM Dec 03, 2008 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Can you say something about solutions without finding them? (and pizza!)

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Can you say something about solutions without finding them?
Hoon Hong
Thursday, November 20, 2008
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

One of main activities in math is "solving" equations. But, why do we solve equations? In most cases, it is because we want to know something (properties) about the solutions.

Of course, the usual way is to find the solutions first (which is usually very hard) and then inspect them to read off the desired properties (which is usually very easy). But this procedure is sort of "wasteful" since the explicit solutions contain much more additional (and undesired) information. As an analogy, suppose that you just want to get a memory card. Would you buy an expensive laptop computer first and then take out a memory card from it and throw away the laptop?!

Naturally a question arises: Can we determine desired properties of solutions without finding the solutions?

This kind of question has been asked and is being asked by great mathematicians of the past and the present (and will be asked... by you). In this talk, we will go over a few beautiful results due to great mathematicians of the past such as Sylvester, Sturm, Hermite, Bezout, Cayley, Macaulay, Hilbert, etc. as time allows.

Pizza provided as always!

Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 02:51PM Nov 14, 2008 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Sports Ranking and Game Prediction, Google style (and pizza!)

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Sports Ranking and Game Prediction, Google style
Anjela Govan
Thursday, November 13, 2008
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

NCAA football does not a have a playoff system. Instead the teams are ranked throughout the season based on their performance. At the end of the year the two top-ranked teams play each other for the National Championship. The ranking formula used is complicated and takes numerous criteria into account.

Organized sport is the most fun example of a ranking problem, but ranking problems are everywhere and often form the basis for very important decisions. So how should we make the ranking? The best and most consistent approach is to use mathematics, and more specifically, matrix analysis. One of the extremely successful ranking algorithms is PageRank, developed by the founders of the internet search engine Google. PageRank is used to rank the relative importance of web pages.

Google's idea of web page ranking can be used in other applications, including organized sport. I'll describe experiments I did using PageRank to rank teams and predict game results for NFL football, NCAA basketball and NCAA football. The talk will be broadly accessible to undergraduates.

Pizza provided as always!

Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 08:38AM Nov 07, 2008 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Wachovia Executive Lecture Series

Nov. 10 Wachovia Executive Lecture Series Presents Ursula Burns, President of Xerox
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Nelson Auditorium (3400 Nelson Hall)
Topic: Lessons of Leadership: Bold Bets and Back to Basics.
Includes a Question/Answer session - Students encouraged to participate

Nov. 19 Wachovia Executive Lecture Series Presents William J. Amelio, President & CEO, Lenovo
4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Nelson Auditorium (3400 Nelson Hall)
Topic: New World, New Winning Strategies
Includes a Question/Answer session - Students encouraged to participate

For additional information, contact Anna Rzewnicki, director of communications, NC State College of Management: phone, 919.513.4478; email, anna_rzewnicki@ncsu.edu

 

 

Posted at 04:32PM Nov 06, 2008 by scroggs in Conferences and Meetings  |  Comments[0]

Buffon's noodle and the Monte Carlo Method (and pizza!)

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Buffon's noodle and the Monte Carlo Method
Drew Armstrong (University of Minnesota)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

Suppose you have a shape cut out of cardboard and you want to know its perimeter---but you don't have any measuring equipment. There is an amazing way to measure the perimeter simply by throwing your shape on a hardwood floor. Here's how it works: suppose your shape has perimeter L and the cracks in the floor are distance D apart. Now throw your shape on the floor. Under "optimal conditions," the probability that your shape will touch a crack is exactly L/(pi D). It's true!

The idea of doing a random experiment to perform a scientific computation is called the Monte Carlo method. Mr. Buffon accidentally invented this method in the 18th century by throwing things on the floor.

The talk will be accessible to everyone --- including you.

Pizza provided as always!

Noodles will not be provided.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

Upcoming topics include:

Ranking sports teams with Google's PageRank.
Math movie nite (afternoon)

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 03:10PM Oct 31, 2008 by nreadin in General  |  Comments[0]

Virginia Tech regional math competition

The Virginia Tech Regional Mathematics Contest will be held on Saturday November 1, 9-11:30a.m. in HA201.

All NCSU undergraduate students are eligible to participate. Please come 15 minutes early to fill out the registration forms. Top winner of the VT contest will receive $750 cash award from Virginia Tech.

Thanks

Dr. Xiao-Biao Lin

Posted at 03:40PM Oct 28, 2008 by scroggs in Scholarships and Grants  |  Comments[0]

EAC 301, Leadership Fundamentals

Interested in being a better leader?  Consider taking this 3 credit hour class, which will compliment your academic program - no matter what your major.

• Introduction to Leadership Fundamentals
• EAC 301 Section 001
• SPRING 2009 - Tuesday / Thursday 3 - 4:15 pm

(Pre-requisite: Soph, Junior or Senior standing)

Tierza R. Watts, Associate Director
Center for Student Leadership, Ethics & Public Service
3115 Talley Student Center
tierza_watts@ncsu.edu
www.ncsu.edu/csleps/

Posted at 07:16AM Oct 28, 2008 by scroggs in Courses and Advising  |  Comments[0]

PAMS Career Fair, Nov 5

Attend the career fairs to discover who is hiring, and what they expect of applicants.  Bring your resume if you are actively looking for a summer internship or permanent job.

PAMS Career Fair 2008
Wednesday, Nov. 5th, 2008
9:00am to 2:00pm
Dabney Hall Lobby, NCSU
http://www.ncsu.edu/career/careerfairparts/pams.php 

Posted at 07:15AM Oct 28, 2008 by scroggs in Jobs  |  Comments[0]

The mathematics of voting (and pizza!)

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Just in time for the election:

The mathematics of voting
Molly Fenn
Thursday, October 30, 2008
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 330

We've all seen how complicated elections can be. Changing our rules for counting votes and determining a winner can change the outcome of an election. In this talk, we will look at several different methods for voting, all of which seem completely reasonable, and we will demonstrate the completely unreasonable outcomes these methods lead to. We will look at some desirable properties any voting system should have, and then prove a simplified version of Arrow?s Impossibility Theorem which states that no voting system can satisfy all of these properties. (Uh oh.)

Pizza provided as always!

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

Upcoming topics include:

Buffon's noodle and the Monte Carlo method.
Ranking sports teams with Google's PageRank.
Math movie nite (afternoon)

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 02:34PM Oct 24, 2008 by nreadin in Courses and Advising  |  Comments[0]

Thursday, 10/23: Mathematics and Pizza!

Come enjoy pizza while you listen to this week's SUM Series talk!

A Modeling Study of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Jesse Stimpson
Thursday, October 23, 2008
3:00--3:50 p.m.
Harrelson 107

**Note the unusual location**

Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) is a disorder of unknown cause characterized by abnormally high pressures of the fluid that surrounds the brain, known as cerebrospinal fluid. In an attempt to better understand IIH, mathematical models display the behavior of the brain's sinuses when introduced to changes in transmural pressure. The definite causes and proper treatment of IIH escape doctors and scientists. Disturbances of the brain's blood flow system, such as sudden pressure changes, may be the origin of this disorder. We consider two simple compartmental differential equation models, which describe the dynamics of pressure changes on the brains sinuses and surrounding regions. Such changes may cause a partial collapse of the sinus, thus causing increased resistance to natural blood flow.

This project started out as an undergraduate research project here at NCSU. The talk will be accessible to undergraduates.

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Check out the SUM Series website for more information on the SUM Series.

Upcoming topics include:

Ranking sports teams with Google's PageRank.
The mathematics of voting.
Math movie nite (afternoon)

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TELL YOUR FRIENDS!

Posted at 03:35PM Oct 17, 2008 by nreadin in Conferences and Meetings  |  Comments[0]