# MSCS Seminar Calendar

Monday March 30, 2015
Model Theory Seminar
On the isometry group of the Urysohn space
Jonathan Wolf (UIC)
2:00 PM in SEO 427
We will continue discussing the paper "On the isometry group of the Urysohn space" Tent and Ziegler.

Algebraic Topology Seminar
TBD
Andrew Blumberg (UT Austin)
3:00 PM in SEO 1227

Geometry, Topology and Dynamics Seminar
Unimodal Maps and Inverse Limit Spaces
Lori Alvin (University of Denver)
3:00 PM in SEO 636
In this talk we investigate some of the continua (compact, connected metric spaces) that occur as inverse limit spaces of unimodal bonding maps. The inverse limit space of a single map $f:I\to I$ is
$$\lim_{\longleftarrow} {\bf f} = \{ x = (x_0, x_1, x_2, \ldots ) : x_n \in I \textrm{ and } f(x_{n+1}) = x_n \textrm{ for all } n\in \mathbb{N} \}$$
and has metric $$d(x,y) = \sum_{i=0}^\infty \frac{|x_i-y_i|}{2^i}.$$ We begin by exploring the continua that arise as inverse limit spaces from a single logistic map of the form $g_a(x) = ax(1-x)$, where $a\in [0,4]$. We are particularly interested in drawing the inverse limits that arise from the family of logistic maps seen within the classical period doubling bifurcation diagram. We then use the period doubling bifurcation to gain an intuition for the inverse limit space of the logistic map with parameter $a\approx 3.569945668$, also called the Feigenbaum limit. This map, sometimes referred to as the $2^\infty$ map, is the unique logistic map with period points of period $2^n$ for all $n\in \mathbb{N}$ and no other periodic points; the action of $g|_{\omega(c,g)}$ is topologically conjugate to a special type of map called an adding machine or odometer. We conclude by discussing inverse limit spaces whose single bonding maps have embedded adding machines.

Applied Mathematics Seminar
Probabilistic global well-posedness of the energy-critical defocusing nonlinear wave equation on euclidean spaces
Oana Pocovnicu (Princeton University)
4:00 PM in SEO 636
We consider the energy-critical defocusing nonlinear wave equation (NLW) on $\mathbb{R}^d$, $d = 3, 4, 5$. In the deterministic setting, Christ, Colliander, and Tao showed that this equation is ill-posed below the energy space $H^1 × L^2$.
In this talk, we take a probabilistic approach. More precisely, we prove almost sure global existence and uniqueness for NLW with rough random initial data below the energy space. The randomization that we use is naturally associated with the Wiener decomposition and with modulation spaces. The proof is based on a probabilistic perturbation theory and on probabilistic energy bounds.
If time allows, we will briefly discuss how the above strategy also yields a conditional almost sure global well-posedness result below the scaling critical regularity, for the defocusing cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation on euclidean spaces. This talk is partially based on joint work with Tadahiro Oh, and on joint work with Árpád Bényi and Tadahiro Oh.
Tuesday March 31, 2015
Logic Seminar
TBA
Gabriel Conant (UIC)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Wednesday April 1, 2015
Algebraic Geometry Seminar
TBA
Claire Voisin (CNRS and IAS)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Thursday April 2, 2015
Louise Hay Logic Seminar
TBA
Aida Alibek (UIC)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Friday April 3, 2015
Algebraic Geometry Seminar
Pixton's formula for double ramification cycles
Rahul Pandharipande (ETH Zurich)
1:00 PM in SEO 427

AWM Event
TBA
Jeanne LaDuke (DePaul University)
3:00 PM in SEO 636
Monday April 6, 2015
Geometry, Topology and Dynamics Seminar
Morse geodesics in torsion groups
Elisabeth Fink (Ecole Normale Superieure)
3:00 PM in SEO 636
A geodesic in a metric space is Morse, if quasi-geodesics connecting points on it stay uniformly close. In many cases, such geodesics come from an embedded cyclic subgroup, in other words from a so-called Morse element which generates this cyclic subgroup. By studying asymptotic cones, we will exhibit Morse geodesics in infinite torsion groups which are direct limits of hyperbolic groups. On the contrary, it will be shown that there exist many non-Morse geodesics in the same groups, which do not even contain arbitrarily large powers. I will also discuss related properties and possible consequences.

Graduate Theoretical Computer Science Seminar
Introduction to statistical algorithms
Sam Cole (UIC)
3:00 PM in SEO 427
Search problems over distributions, statistical algorithms, statistical dimension, hardness results for MAX-XOR-SAT and planted biclique
Wednesday April 8, 2015
Statistics Seminar
TBA
Tiefeng Jiang (University of Minnesota)
4:00 PM in SEO 636

Algebraic Geometry Seminar
TBA
Tom Nevins (UIUC)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Friday April 10, 2015
Departmental Colloquium
Interpolation for polynomials in several variables
Joe Harris (Harvard)
3:00 PM in SEO 636
An elementary theorem says that we can always find a polynomial $f(x)$ of degree $d$ or less having specified values at $d+1$ given points $x$. When we try to state (let alone prove) an analogue for polynomials in several variables, however, we run into immediate difficulties. In this talk, I’ll try to show that the difficulties lie in the geometry of the points, and suggest at least a conjectural answer to the problem.
Opening lecture: Midwest Algebraic Geometry Graduate Conference
Monday April 13, 2015
Applied Mathematics Seminar
TBA
Jeremy Marzuola (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)
4:00 PM in SEO 636
Tuesday April 14, 2015
Logic Seminar
TBA
Sergei Starchenko (University of Notre Dame)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Wednesday April 15, 2015
Statistics Seminar
TBA
Xin Huang (AbbVie, Inc)
4:00 PM in SEO 636

Algebraic Geometry Seminar
TBA
S. K. Yang (Purdue)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Friday April 17, 2015
Homotopy Algebras Seminar
TBD
Jesse Wolfson (University of Chicago)
1:00 PM in SEO 1227

Departmental Colloquium
TBA
Carlos Kenig (University of Chicago)
3:00 PM in SEO 636
Monday April 20, 2015
Algebraic Topology Seminar
TBD
Akhil Mathew (UC Berkeley)
3:00 PM in SEO 1227

Combinatorics Seminar
TBA
Gyula O. H. Katona (Renyi Institute, Budapest)
3:00 PM in SEO 427

Applied Mathematics Seminar
TBA
Avy Soffer (Rudgers University)
4:00 PM in SEO 636
Tuesday April 21, 2015
Logic Seminar
TBA
Sherwood Hachtman (UCLA)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Wednesday April 22, 2015
Statistics Seminar
TBA / TBA
Keyu Nie / Brian Powers (UIC)
4:00 PM in SEO 636

Algebraic Geometry Seminar
TBA
Bernd Ulrich (Purdue)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Friday April 24, 2015
Homotopy Algebras Seminar
TBD
Nick Rozenblyum (University of Chicago)
1:00 PM in SEO 1227

Departmental Colloquium
Some Examples of the use of nonstandard methods in continuum theory
Steven Leth (University of Northern Colorado)
3:00 PM in SEO 636
In this talk I will outline some applications of nonstandard methods to the study of compact, connected subsets of the plane. Nonstandard models allow for many complicated limiting properties of a set to be "actualized" in the nonstandard version of the set. This can make objects such as "pseudo-arcs" and other hereditarily indecomposable continua more intuitive to work with. Of particular interest are possible applications to sub-questions of the plane fixed point problem, which asks if every compact, connected subset of the plane that does not separate the plane has the fixed point property.
Monday April 27, 2015
Algebraic Topology Seminar
TBD
Inna Zakharevich (University of Chicago)
3:00 PM in SEO 1227

Applied Mathematics Seminar
TBA
Cheng Ouyang (UIC)
4:00 PM in SEO 636
Tuesday April 28, 2015
Number Theory Seminar
TBA
David Zureick-Brown (Emory University)
11:00 AM in SEO 427

Logic Seminar
TBA
Nick Ramsey (UC Berkeley)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Wednesday April 29, 2015
Geometry, Topology and Dynamics Seminar
TBA
Emily Stark (Tufts)
3:00 PM in SEO 636

Statistics Seminar
Panel discussion
Stat faculty and students (UIC)
4:00 PM in SEO 636
This panel discussion will give students an opportunity to have questions about various things (e.g., advantages and disadvantages of an academic career, general strategies for successful research, career opportunities outside of academia and how to prepare for them, etc) answered by faculty and senior graduate students.

Algebraic Geometry Seminar
TBA
David Yang (MIT)
4:00 PM in SEO 427
Friday May 1, 2015
Departmental Colloquium
Atkin Memorial Lecture
Alireza Salehi-Golsefidi (University of California, San Diego )
3:00 PM in TBA
Friday August 28, 2015
Departmental Colloquium
TBA
M. Ram Murty (Queen's University (Canada))
3:00 PM in SEO 636
UIC LAS MSCS seminars seminar calendar