Title: R as a vector space over Q, with an interesting consequence
Speaker: Dustin Hedmark

Abstract: We will look at the real numbers as a vector space over the rational numbers. After reviewing relevant linear algebra terminology, we will show that this is an infinite dimensional vector space. Next, we will use the vector space R over Q to show that there does not exist a tiling of a rectangle of dimensions 1 by x with squares, where x is an irrational number.

David Murrugarra will talking about some research he did over the past year with two UKY undergraduate students. The title and abstract of his talk are below. Please come and ahangout with other mathematically minded students. There will be pizza.

Title: Estimating Propensity Parameters using Google PageRank and Genetic Algorithms

Abstract: Stochastic Boolean networks, or more generally stochastic discrete networks, are an important class of computational models for molecular interaction networks. The stochasticity stems from the updating schedule. The standard updating schedules include the synchronous update, where all the nodes are updated at the same time and gives a deterministic dynamic, and the asynchronous update, where a random node is updated at each time step that gives a stochastic dynamics. A more general stochastic setting considers propensity parameters for updating each node. SDDS is a modeling framework that considers two propensity values for updating each node, one when the update has a positive impact on the variable, that is, when the update causes the variable to increase its value, and the other when the update is negative, that is, when the update causes it to decrease its value. This extension adds a complexity in parameter estimation of the propensity parameters. This talk presents a method for estimating the propensity parameters for SDDS. The method is based on adding noise to the system using the Google PageRank approach to make the system ergodic and thus guaranteeing the existence of a stationary distribution and then with the use of a genetic algorithm the propensity parameters are estimated.

George Lytle, John Hirdt, Luis Sordo Vieria, Wesley Hough, Darleen Perez-Lavin, Evan Castle and Thomas Barron will talk about Math REUS and undergraduate research.

   Mihai Stoiciu will talk about the mathematics of the Rubik's cube, as well as, mathematics in general.  Lunch will be provided.  If you are planning on attending please sign up at
http://doodle.com/poll/qpg6zah8tk4fetxu

Wesley Hough will present the documentary "In the Footsteps of Newton", which he worked on while he was a undergraduate at Hanover College.  For more details on the documentary visit the following link.  Come and hangout with other mathematically minded students at the first math club meeting of the semester. There will be pizza.

Title: The topology of graphs

Abstract: Topologists consider two spaces (think: shapes of any possible dimension) to be weakly equivalent if one can be easily deformed into the other. For example, to a topologist, a sphere is weakly equivalent to a cube. However, it becomes very difficult to determine whether two spaces are weakly equivalent when the dimension of the spaces is greater than three. In this talk, I will introduce one tool that topologists use to distinguish between spaces called homotopy groups. Then I will describe how we can use ideas from topology to study graphs.

Presenter:  Dr. Deborah Vicinsky is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics in Mathematics & Computer Science Department at Wabash College.  She received her PhD from the University of Oregon in 2015.   Her research interests include model categories, Goodwilie calculus and homotopy of graphs.

Professor Lisa Krause will be talking to us about Math Education. She will also tell us about the Master’s with Initial Certification – Secondary Mathematics program.  Come and hangout with other mathematically minded students.  There will be pizza

Wesley Hough will present a documentary that he worked on while at Hanover College "In the Footsteps of Newton". For more details on the documentary visit the following http://www.hanover.edu/about/news?n=4590

Title:  Untangling the double twist

Abstract:  The double twist refers to 720 degree rotation of an object around a fixed axis. This loop of rotations can be continuously deformed, through loops, to the trivial, stationary loop. Physical demonstrations of this "untangling" property go by the names of the Dirac Belt Trick, the Dirac String Trick, and the Waiter Trick (also known as the Indonesian Candle Dance). This talk will describe and animate a particularly simple and explicit untangling (originating in work of Francis and Kaufmann). We'll go on to discuss the behavior of arbitrary untanglings of the double twist and their action on vectors in R3. Along the way, we'll meet fundamental groups, quaternions, and projective spaces. This is joint work with David Pengelley.