10. You want to know what mathematics is really about.
9. You want to know more about the research being conducted by mathematicians at Kent State.
8. You are a math major.
7. You secretly wish you were a math major.
6. You want to know more about career options for math majors.
5. You want to understand WHY that formula holds.
4. You laughed at one or more of the cartoons on the right.
3. You are still reading this list.
2. You would even consider spending a Friday afternoon listening to a math talk.
1. You really like pizza.

Talks in this colloqiuim series are geared toward undergraduate students interested in mathematics.
If you are a current math major or if you're just curious about math, then you will want to join us for these talks!

NEXT EVENT

Friday 13 April

Speaker: Zach Riel, Undergraduate Mathematics Major, Kent State

Title: An Undergraduate Research Experience in Modern Algebra

Abstract: What is an REU program, what does it involve, and how does one get involved? Zach Riel, an undergraduate mathematics student, participated in an mathematics REU program at SUNY Potsdam over the Summer of 2006. He will discuss his experience with the REU program. He will also briefly discuss the mathematics research that he did in Group Theory over the summer. Here, students will have a chance to see what an REU program is all about and how to participate in one.

About the speaker: Zach Riel is currently an undergraduate student, majoring in mathematics, and will be graduating in May. Also, in August, he will begin his graduate studies in the mathematics department at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

PAST EVENTS

Tuesday 20 March 4:15-5:15 in MSB 228--Special day, time and location!!

Speaker: Professor Per Enflo
Kent State Department of Mathematical Sciences

Title: What happened to the Neandertals?

Abstract: The Neandertals were people, who lived in Europe and parts of Asia from 230,000 years ago to approx. 30,000 years ago, when they mysteriously disappeared. What happened to them? There seems to be some contradictions in what the genes tell and what the fossils tell. We will show, that some simple mathematical modeling can present ways to resolve these contradictions and present some possible scenarios.

Friday 02 March

Speaker: John McVey, Ph.D.
National Security Agency (NSA)

Title: Mathematical Life at NSA

Abstract: Ever wonder what life would be like working as a cryptomathematician for the National Security Agency? Ever wonder what a cryptomathematician is? Come hear Dr. John McVey, a graduate alumnus of Kent State University, talk about the presently used encryption protocols of RSA and Diffie-Hellman, as well as what it's like to be "in the know" when it comes to governmental secrets. This talk is intended for all audiences, but will prove especially accessible to those who have had some background in Modern Algebra.

About the Speaker: Dr. McVey is presently in his final year in a Mathematics Development Program in the NSA. He joined NSA in 2004, after a year of teaching at KSU and two years at Clarion University of Pennsylvania. He graduated Kent State University in 2001 after having earned both a Master's and Doctoral degree. From 1991 to 1995, he was an undergraduate at Bowling Green State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree. Dr. McVey is still actively engaged in academic mathematics research, working in the area of finite group theory.

Speaker: Timothy A. Davis, Ph.D.
Goodyear Technical Center, Tire Physics and Computational Mechanics

Title: An Applied Mathematician's Experience in Industry

Abstract: Tim Davis, from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, will briefly describe the work that he has done there for the past ten years. He will discuss some of the mathematical tools he has used, and he will share some of his experiences as a mathematician working in an engineering environment. Students in the audience are warmly encouraged to ask questions about the industrial workplace, graduate school, and how mathematics is used in an industrial setting.

About the Speaker: Tim Davis earned a PhD degree in Applied Mathematics from Kent State University in 1994. He is currently a Principal Engineer in the Computational Mechanics Department of the Research Division at The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company.

Title: Panel Discussion on Graduate School in Mathematics and Related Fields

Confirmed Panelists:

• Joe Diestel, Professor and former Graduate Coordinator, Kent State Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Kazim Khan, Professor and former Graduate Coordinator, Kent State Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Mark Lewis, Associate Professor and current Graduate Coordinator, Kent State Department of Mathematical Sciences
• Judith Melillo, Associate Professor in Curriculum and Instruction for Mathematics Education, Kent State Department of Teaching, Leadership and Curriculum Studies
• Tom Wakefield, current Graduate Student, Kent State Department of Mathematical Sciences

For instance, how do I know if graduate school is right for me? Why should I consider attending graduate school in mathematics? Would a related graduate program such as the MAT or MSFE better suit my needs? How should I prepare for graduate school? What are the qualifications? How do I choose the right school and program for me? How do I apply for graduate school? What kind of financial assistance is available? What should I expect from my graduate school experience?

Speaker: Professor Morley Davidson
Kent State Department of Mathematical Sciences

Title: The Mathematics of Rubik's Cube

Abstract: In this talk we will discuss mathematical questions dealing with Rubik's Cube, the most popular puzzle of all time and the perfect manipulative for learning about noncommutative group theory. With a Rubik's Cube, one can quickly gain a working understanding of the group-theoretic concepts of inverse, order, conjugates, normal subgroup, commutator, even and odd permutations, group action on sets, symmetry groups, and so forth, and then apply these ideas to solving the cube completely.

We will also discuss ongoing computer research into solving the cube with a minimal number of turns ("God's Algorithm") and outline some pros and cons of three popular speedcubing systems, one of which is currently used by top speed demons to regularly solve the cube in under 13 seconds! Another system is also used to solve the cube in about 40 moves, given an hour to work on it. Finally, we will announce and discuss a new "40/40 Challenge"-- can a human being solve the cube in under 40 moves and 40 seconds on average? Computers and robotics can already see 20/20 in this respect, but according to futurists, goals like this may soon be possible by nearly everyone. However, it may involve stretching the meaning of "human being"....