Seminar series

<p>Individual lectures and seminars are announced <a href="/en/current/calendar/" title="Calender">in the calendar</a>.</p>

<p>Seminars are usually held on Wednesdays, 13.15-14.15, but day and time may vary. <a rel="noopener" href="/en/current/calendar/?event.organisations.name=Department%20of Mathematical Sciences" target="_blank" title="Link to calendar for Mathematical Sciences." data-anchor="?event.organisations.name=Department of Mathematical Sciences">Check the calendar</a> to keep track.&nbsp;</p>
<p>You can also contact the organizers for information.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Seminars 2024</h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Previous seminars 2024</h2>
<h3>11.12.2024 - Mattias Byléhn, Chalmers/GU (final review): Lattice point counting in regular trees (Euler)</h3>
<p>Abstract: In analogy with Euclidean and hyperbolic circle problems, we aim to estimate the discrepancy of lattice point counts on asymptotically large balls in regular trees. The lattices we consider are fundamental groups of finite regular graphs X, and we provide upper (and some lower) estimates for the L2-norm of such discrepancies using an analogue of the Fourier transform for regular trees. Sharp upper bounds are obtained from the spectral gap of the adjacency matrix on X, and lower bounds depend significantly on the occurrence of trigonometric eigenvalues, a phenomenon which has no Euclidean or hyperbolic counterpart.</p>
<h3>4.12.2024 - Eric Ahlquist, Stockholm University: Massey products and class field towers (Euler)</h3>
<p>Abstract: I will present recent joint work with Magnus Carlson, where we provide formulas for 3-fold Massey products in the étale cohomology of the ring of integers of a number field. Using these formulas, we identify the first known examples of imaginary quadratic fields with a class group of p-rank two possessing an infinite p-class field tower, where p is an odd prime. Furthermore, we establish a necessary and sufficient condition, in terms of class groups of p-extensions, for the vanishing of 3-fold Massey products. As a consequence, we offer an elementary and sufficient condition for the infinitude of class field towers of imaginary quadratic fields. Additionally, we disprove McLeman’s (3,3)-conjecture.</p>
<h3>20.11.2024 - Hjalmar Rosengren, Chalmers/GU: Pi, strings and partial fractions (Euler)</h3>
<p>Abstract: Using physics methods, Saha and Sinha recently obtained many intriguing expansions of string amplitudes. One very special case gives a generalization of Madhava's series for pi, which received a lot of media attention. I will discuss these identities from a mathematical perspective. They can be derived from partial fraction expansions for symmetric rational functions, which may have some independent interest. The talk is based on the preprint <a rel="noopener" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.06658" target="_blank" title="https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.06658">https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.06658</a></p>
<h3>15.11.2024 - Marcus Berg, Karlstad University: Almost-Canonical Integration for Amplitudes</h3>
<p>Abstract: Scattering amplitudes are connected to numerous different areas of physics and mathematics, such as modular forms, regularized integrals, multiple zeta values and periods. In this talk I will discuss recent work with Haack and Zimmerman (LMU Munich), in which we calculate certain Feynman integrals that arise in string theory amplitudes. Our method bears some resemblance to Francis Brown's canonical integrals (<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2205.10094">https://arxiv.org/abs/2205.10094</a>), that depend on mass parameters associated with external half-edges of graphs. With these additional parameters, our integrals are finite. I also relate this to recent work with Daniel Persson on massive Maass-Jacobi forms.</p>
<h3>5.11.2024 - Ilaria Viglino, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne: Moment estimates of module lattice points for effective lattice constructions</h3>
<p>Abstract: We examine the moments of the number of lattice points in a fixed ball of volume V for lattices in Euclidean space which are modules over the ring of integers O of a number field K. In particular, we show that moments obtained for “lifts of codes” to O-modules converge to the Rogers integral formula for the space of free O-module lattices. This extends work of Rogers for Z-lattices.</p>
<p>Joint work with Maryna Viazovska, Nihar Gargava and Vlad Serban.</p>
<h3>23.10.2024 - Per Salberger, Chalmers/GU: Counting rational points on hypersurfaces</h3>
<p>Abstract: We present some recent results obtained by a global version of Heath-Brown's p-adic determinant method.</p>
<h3>16.10.2024 - Nuno Hultberg, Copenhagen University: Continuity of heights and complete intersections in toric varieties</h3>
<p>Abstract: We study the variation of heights of cycles in flat families over number fields or, more generally, globally valued fields. To a finite type scheme over a GVF we associate a locally compact Hausdorff space which we refer to as its GVF analytification. We prove the continuity of heights in a flat family on the GVF analytification. As an application, we prove Roberto Gualdi's conjecture on limit heights of complete intersections in toric varieties. This is joint work with Pablo Destic and Michal Szachniewicz.</p>
<h3>9.10.2024 - Rachel Newton, King's College London: Evaluating the wild Brauer group</h3>
<p>Abstract: The local-global approach to the study of rational points on varieties over number fields begins by embedding the set of rational points on a variety X into the set of its adelic points. The Brauer--Manin pairing cuts out a subset of the adelic points, called the Brauer--Manin set, that contains the rational points. If the set of adelic points is non-empty but the Brauer--Manin set is empty then we say there's a Brauer--Manin obstruction to the existence of rational points on X. Computing the Brauer--Manin pairing involves evaluating elements of the Brauer group of X at local points. If an element of the Brauer group has order coprime to p, then its evaluation at a p-adic point factors via reduction of the point modulo p. For p-torsion elements this is no longer the case: in order to compute the evaluation map one must know the point to a higher p-adic precision. Classifying Brauer group elements according to the precision required to evaluate them at p-adic points gives a filtration which we describe using work of Bloch and Kato. Applications of our work include addressing Swinnerton-Dyer's question about which places can play a role in the Brauer--Manin obstruction. This is joint work with Martin Bright.</p>
<h3>2.10.2024 - Simon Cooper, Stockholm University: Tautological rings of Shimura varieties in characteristic p</h3>
<p>Abstract: Tautological rings of Shimura varieties are subrings of the Chow ring which contain many interesting classes and are open to computation. I'll present a conjecture describing these tautological rings in characteristic p and provide some basic evidence for it. Part of this evidence is a theorem describing the tautological ring of a Hilbert modular variety at an unramified prime, whose proof I'll explain. The techniques are exclusive to characteristic p and make use of the theory of G-Zips.</p>
<h3>10.9.2024 - Damaris Schindler, University of Göttingen: Density of rational points near manifolds</h3>
<p>Abstract: Given a bounded submanifold M in R^n, how many rational points with common bounded denominator are there in a small thickening of M? Under what conditions can we count them asymptotically as the size of the denominator goes to infinity? I will discuss some recent work in this direction and arithmetic applications such as Serre's dimension growth conjecture as well as applications in Diophantine approximation. For this I'll focus on joint work with Shuntaro Yamagishi, as well as joint work with Rajula Srivastava and Niclas Technau.</p>
<h3>17.5. 2024 - Matteo Bordignon, KTH: Weyl sums with multiplicative coefficients and joint equidistribution</h3>
<p>Abstract: In this talk I will present a joint work with Cynthia Bortolotto and Bryce Kerr, where we generalize a result of Montgomery and Vaughan regarding exponential sums with multiplicative coefficients to the setting of Weyl sums. As applications, we establish a joint equidistribution result for roots of polynomial congruences and polynomial values and obtain some new results for mixed character sums.</p>
<h3>8.5.2024 - Mahbub Alam, Uppsala: Diophantine approximation by restricted rationals over number fields</h3>
<p>Abstract: A few generalizations of the classical diophantine approximation have seen considerable interest, such as approximation by restricted rationals and approximation in spaces other than Euclidean spaces. We consider a hybrid: diophantine approximation over a number field by rationals whose numerators and denominators are restricted to satisfy some congruence conditions. We will show that the adeles of a number field is a natural object in this context and the above problem can be realized as an adelic lattice point counting problem. We will discuss briefly moment formulae for adelic lattice point counting functions, obtained recently by Kim, and demonstrate how they can be utilized to obtain a quantitative result in this context. This is analogous to a result due to Schmidt and extends a result by the author, Shucheng Yu and Anish Ghosh.</p>
<h3>12.4.2024 - Adam Keilthy, Chalmers/GU: Deformations of modular forms and multiple L-values</h3>
<p>Abstract: By considering variations of the uniformising differential equation of a genus 0 modular curve, Bogo defines a notion of a deformation of a modular form in terms of iterated integrals of modular forms, whose first order transformation properties are given in terms of period polynomials.</p>
<p>In this talk, we will provide a cohomological formalism for such deformations, establish the existence and near uniqueness of such deformations, and give an explicit example in terms of both critical and non critical totally holomorphic multiple L values, establishing a geometric interpretation for non-critical multiple L-values.</p>
<h3>6.3.2024 - Martin Raum, Chalmers/GU: Moduli of Flat Surfaces and Affine Modular Forms</h3>
<p>Abstract: I will discuss the relation between moduli of two-marked tori and modular forms for a special affine group, which is non-reductive and thus outside of reach of the Langlands Program. The connection is made by the Siegel-Veech transform, which I will explain. In general, the Siegel-Veech transform yields a supply of square-integrable functions on strata of abelian differentials, of which moduli of marked tori are a special case. Before our work, only the case of one-marked tori was understood. In particular, even in the case of two-marked tori spectral properties of the image were unknown. To reveal them we require three differential operators associated with various group actions or foliations. This yields a surprisingly detailed understanding of the L2-space surpassing what we know for the special linear group. On the geometric side, we need to identify novel configurations of relative saddle connections, which I will explain as well. This is based on work with Jayadev Athreya, Jean Lagacé, and Martin Möller.</p>
<h3>23.2.2024 - Sebastián Herrero, ETH Zürich and University of Santiago de Chile: Special values of Green's functions on hyperbolic 3-space</h3>
<p>Abstract: In 1986 Gross and Zagier stated an algebraicity conjecture for special values of higher Green's functions on modular curves, which resembles the properties of the modular j function in the theory of complex multiplication. This conjecture has recently been demonstrated by Bruinier, Li and Yang. In this talk I will present new results on an analogous problem for special values of Green's functions on hyperbolic 3-space. We prove that their averages can be computed in terms of logarithms of primes and logarithms of units in real quadratic fields. This is work in collaboration with Özlem Imamoglu, Anna von Pippich and Markus Schwagenscheidt.</p>
<h3>7.2.2024 - Douglas Molin, Chalmers/GU: On a conjecture of Venkatesh (also half-way seminar)</h3>
<p>Abstract: Let F be a CM field and g an automorphic form of PGL(2,F). A conjecture of Venkatesh describes the structure of the contribution of g to the singular homology with rational coefficients of the locally symmetric spaces associated to PGL(2,F). I will introduce this conjecture and the main ingredients of my conditional proof of its p-adic realisation, wherein the coefficents are p-adic instead of rational.</p>
<h3>2.2.2024 - Vivan Kuperberg, ETH Zürich: Sums of odd-ly many fractions and the distribution of primes</h3>
<p>Abstract: In this talk, I will discuss new bounds on constrained sets of fractions. Specifically, I will discuss the answer to the following question, which arises in several areas of number theory: for an integer $k \ge 2$, consider the set of $k$-tuples of reduced fractions $\frac{a_1}{q_1}, \dots, \frac{a_k}{q_k} \in I$, where $I$ is an interval around $0$. How many $k$-tuples are there with $\sum_i \frac{a_i}{q_i} \in \mathbb Z$?</p>
<p>When $k$ is even, the answer is well-known: the main contribution to the number of solutions comes from “diagonal” terms, where the fractions $\frac{a_i}{q_i}$ cancel in pairs. When $k$ is odd, the answer is much more mysterious! In work with Bloom, we prove a near-optimal upper bound on this problem when $k$ is odd. I will also discuss applications of this problem to estimating moments of the distributions of primes and reduced residues.</p>
<h3>24.1.2024 - Mykola Pochekai, Chalmers/GU: Chow Rings of Unimodular Triangulations</h3>
<p>Abstract: The concept of associating a Chow-ring-like structure with a combinatorial object to extract combinatorial information is not new. The earliest successful instance of this approach was R. Stanley's proof of the g-conjecture in the 1970s. A more recent iteration of this idea is found in J. Huh's works on the Chow rings of matroids. Drawing inspiration from these ideas, I have defined Chow rings for unimodular triangulations. I will demonstrate how these constructions can be used to update the longstanding conjecture regarding the unimodality of the delta-vector of polytopes that admit triangulations of a special kind.</p>
<h3>17.1.2024 - Emil Jacobsen, Stockholm University: On the motivic fundamental group</h3>
<p>Abstract: I will introduce the motivic fundamental group of a smooth variety, and explain its relation to the usual fundamental group. The main result can also be phrased as follows: local systems of motivic origin are stable under extension in the category of local systems. I will also present a motivic version of a classical theorem of Hain, on Malcev completions of monodromy representations. At the end, I'll explain some of the group/representation theoretic tools that go into these result.</p>

<p>The seminar is joint for the division of Analysis and Probability within the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Chalmers and the University of Gothenburg. Its main themes include:&nbsp; Probability Theory, Mathematical Physics, Operator Algebras and Harmonic and Functional Analysis.</p>
<p>Should you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email one of the organizers Jakob Björnberg (jakobbj 'at' chalmers.se), Simon Larson (larsons 'at' chalmers.se) or Eduard Vilalta (vilalta 'at' chalmers.se).</p>
<p><em>Instructions for invited speakers:</em><br>The seminar caters to a broad audience in analysis and probability. We thus urge speakers to make the first 10-15 minutes of the talk very introductory, aimed at first-year graduate students. The total time for the seminar is 50 minutes plus 10 minutes for questions.</p>

<h2>Upcoming seminars</h2>
<p>(always at 13:15 in MV:L14, unless otherwise stated)</p>
<h3>2024-12-20 Lashi Bandara, Deakin University</h3>
<h4>Geometric singularities and Hodge theory</h4>
<p>Abstract: A seminal result by Georges de Rham in 1931 was to establish an isomorphism between the singular cohomology and the de Rham cohomology on compact boundaryless manifolds. Given a smooth metric on such a manifold, a related result asserts that the space of harmonic forms is isomorphic to this cohomology. Beyond the benefit of introducing operator methods to the study of topology, this can be interpreted as prescribing a geometry to calculate the cohomology, making it possible to potentially choose an optimal metric for this task. However, there is no reason that such a metric needs to be smooth. Motivated by this, along with other considerations, we revisit Hodge theory in the context of singular metrics called Rough Riemannian metrics. Utilising the seminal perspective developed by Keith-McIntosh-Rosén, a perturbative approach is taken to show that the kernels of the induced Hodge-Dirac operators remain isomorphic under uniform changes of metric. This has the added benefit of allowing us to consider non-compact manifolds as well as manifolds with boundary. These results are obtained as a special case of a more general context featuring nilpotent differential operators supported on a vector bundle equipped with a Rough Hermitian metric.</p>

<p>The colloquium runs roughly once every month on Mondays, usually in Euler or Pascal at 15:30-16:30. Fika is served in the lunch room between 15.00 and 15.28!</p>
<p>The ambition of the colloquium is to gather students and employees from all divisions for overview talks by renowned experts about exciting mathematical topics.</p>
<p>Feel free to contact any the organizers for questions or suggestions for colloquia speakers. Even if the colloquium for the term is fully booked, suggestions for the Mathematical Sciences Seminar are always welcome.</p>
<h3>Upcoming 2025</h3>
<h4>February 10 - Malin Palö Forsström: TBA</h4>

<h2>Previous colloquia</h2>
<h3>2024</h3>
<h4>November 11 (in Euler) - Victoria Gould, University of York: Finitary conditions for monoids</h4>
<p>Abstract: A monoid is a set S, together with an associative binary operation and possessing an identity. Everyone knows something about monoids: the first mathematical structure we ever encounter is the natural numbers N = {1, 2, · · · } under addition - this is a semigroup - once we are sophisticated enough to add 0, we have a monoid N 0. Just as groups model invertible functions, monoids model arbitrary functions. Indeed, the collection of structure preserving maps of any mathematical structure is a monoid.</p>
<p>Let A be a class of algebraic structures. A finitary condition for A is a condition defined for all members of A that is satisfied by all the finite members of A. The idea is that there are infinite members of A that satisfy the condition and that therefore inherit some of the ‘nice’ behaviour of the finite members. The study of algebras via finitary conditions began early in the last century with the work of Artin and Noether and their names became associated with various finitary conditions. There are different ways of defining ‘noetherianity’ for a monoid; N 0 satisfies them all, even though it is infinite. This is largely by virtue of the fact that for any n ∈ N 0 there are only finitely many elements of N 0 smaller than n.</p>
<p>This talk will focus on finitary conditions for monoids. It will be aimed at a non-specialist audience: rather than giving details I will aim to describe the area, its connections and motivations, and present a number of open problems.</p>
<h4>8/10 (in Pascal) - Jeff Steif, Chalmers and University of Gothenburg: An overview of some of the work of Michel Talagrand, 2024 Abel prize winner</h4>
<p>Abstract: I will very briefly discuss the following three areas in which Talagrand has made very important contributions and which have been mentioned in the prize description.</p>
<p>These three parts will be independent of each other.</p>
<p>1. His work on Gaussian processes (a) concerning when a 0 mean Gaussian process has an integrable maximum, including a quantitative version and (b) its relation to characterizing when a Gaussian process has a continuous version, answering a question of Kolmogorov.</p>
<p>2. His work on concentration of measure for product measures, where, among many things, he derived a new inequality which had profound implications for concentration for random variables from many different areas.</p>
<p>3. His solution of the Parisi conjecture concerning the Sherrington Kirkpatrick model, a "disordered system" from statistical mechanics.</p>
<h4>10/9 Andrzej Zuk, Paris 7: From PDEs to groups</h4>
<p>Abstract: We present a construction which associates to differential equations discrete groups.</p>
<p>In order to establish this relation we use automata and random walks on ultra discrete limits.</p>
<h4>12/3 Rupert Frank, LMU Munich: The Wehrl entropy problem: mathematical physics meets complex analysis and representation theory</h4>
<p>Euler, 15.30-16.30 (fika in the lunch room from 15.00)</p>
<p>Abstract: The coherent state transform, under various names, appears in many fields of mathematics and physics. It is associated to representations of a group. In this talk we are concerned with the problem of minimizing the entropy of the coherent state transform and we explain how complex analysis can be used to achieve this in certain settings. We discuss various open questions.</p>
<h4>19/2 Olle Häggström, Chalmers/GU: A role for mathematicians in a future with advanced AI?</h4>
<p>Pascal, 15.30-16.30 (fika in the lunch room from 15.00)</p>
<p>It is very unlikely that AI progress is about to come to a sudden halt, leaving GPT-4 forever as the apex of human efforts to build AI. Much more plausible is to expect AI to continue to develop in ways that will radically transform all professions and all sectors of society, including higher education and mathematical research. Filling in the details in such predictions is a more delicate matter.</p>
<h3>2023</h3>
<h4>11/9 Pavel Kurasov, Stockholm: <strong>Crystalline measures and Fourier quasicrystals: from metric graphs to stable polynomials</strong></h4>
<p>Abstract: The classical Poisson's summation formula establishes a relation between a function and its Fourier transform. Crystalline measures are tempered distributions given by locally finite purely atomic measures whose Fourier transform is also a purely atomic measure. Such measures were studied by J.-P. Kahane, A.-P. Guinand, and S. Mandelbrojt in the fifties.</p>
<p>Differential operators on metric graphs surprised researchers by their extraordinary spectral properties and possibility to carry out explicit analysis. One such example is given by the trace formula connecting spectra of quantum graphs to the set of periodic orbits on the underlying metric graph (without any additional correction terms). It appears that the corresponding spectral measure provides an explicit example of so-called crystalline measures generalising classical Dirac comb and Poisson summation formula.</p>
<p>We are going to show how to construct a wide family of crystalline measures using quantum graphs (differential operators on metric graphs) and more generally via stable polynomials.</p>
<h4>23/10 Klas Modin, Chalmers/University of Gothenburg: Abel Laureate Luis Caffarelli: a glimpse of his work</h4>
<p>Abstract: This year’s Abel Prize winner is Luis Caffarelli from the University of Texas at Austin. The motivation is: "For his seminal contributions to regularity theory for nonlinear partial differential equations including free-boundary problems and the Monge-Ampère equation.”</p>
<p>In this talk, I shall present some of his results related to optimal mass transport and regularity of solutions to the Monge-Ampère equation.</p>
<h3>2022</h3>
<h4>24/1 Jan Gerken, Chalmers and University of Gothenburg: <strong>Geometric deep learning: On the interplay between mathematics and deep neural networks</strong></h4>
<p>The field of geometric deep learning has gained a lot of momentum in recent years and attracted people with different backgrounds such as deep learning, theoretical physics and mathematics. This is also reflected by the considerable research activity in this direction at our department. In this talk, I will give an introduction into neural networks and deep learning and mention the different branches of mathematics relevant to their study. Then, I will focus more specifically on the subject of geometric deep learning where symmetries in the underlying data are used to guide the construction of network architectures. This opens the door for mathematical tools such as representation theory and differential geometry to be used in deep learning, leading to interesting new results. I will also comment on how the cross-fertilization between machine learning and mathematics has recently benefited (pure) mathematics.</p>
<h4>11/10 Jakob Björnberg, University of Gothenburg/Chalmers: <strong>Mathematical works of Hugo Duminil-Copin</strong></h4>
<p>Abstract: Hugo Duminil-Copin is one of the four Fields-medal winners of 2022. He received the prize "for solving longstanding problems in the probabilistic theory of phase transitions in statistical physics, especially in dimensions three and four." In this talk I will give an introduction to a selection of his works in this area, and place them within a larger context.</p>
<h3>2020&nbsp;</h3>
<h4>20/1 Tobias Ekholm, Uppsala University: <strong>Skeins on Branes</strong></h4>
<p>The HOMFLY polynomial is an invariant of knots in the 3-sphere allowing one to distinguish different knots. It is a two variable polynomial which is defined combinatorially, via so called skein-relations. We give a geometric interpretation of the coefficients of the polynomial as a count of certain holomorphic curves associated to the knot. One of the variables in the HOMFLY accounts for the area or homological degree of the curves, the other for their Euler characteristic. This is in line with predictions by Ooguri and Vafa based on topological string theory. The proof embodies a new method to define invariant counts of holomorphic curves with Lagrangian boundary. This is a mathematically rigorous incarnation of the fact that boundaries of open topological strings create line defects in Chern-Simons theory as described by Witten.</p>
<h4><strong>17/2 Olle Häggström, Chalmers/GU: </strong><strong>AI Alignment, Embedded Agency and Decision Theory</strong></h4>
<p>The term artificial intelligence (AI) had not yet been coined in the days of Alan Turing. Nevertheless, he did foresee the field, and famously predicted that machines would eventually become so capable as to surpass human general intelligence, in which case he suggested that "we should have to expect the machines to take control". The (small but growing) research area known as AI Alignment takes this ominous prediction as a starting point, and aims to work out how to instil the AI with goals that lead to a good outcome (for humans) despite their taking control. Attempts to solve AI Alignment lead to many intriguing philosophical and mathematical questions involving, e.g., the notion of embedded agency, and the fundamentals of decision theory.</p>
<h4>9/3 Laura Mancinska, University of Copenhagen: <strong>Harnessing Quantum Entanglement</strong></h4>
<p>Entanglement is one of the key features of quantum mechanics. It lies at the heart of most cryptographic applications of quantum technologies and is necessary for computational speed-ups. However, given a specific information processing task, it is challenging to find the best way to harness entanglement and we are yet to uncover the full range of its potential applications.</p>
<p>We will see that the so-called nonlocal games provide a rigorous mathematical framework for studying entanglement and the advantage that it can offer. On the one hand, we will take a closer look at specific applications of entanglement, including protocols for certifying proper functioning of untrusted quantum devices. While on the other hand, we will attempt to gain a better understanding of the mathematical structure of entanglement by considering a restricted class nonlocal games. This class will give rise to a natural quantum relaxation for the notion of graph isomorphism.</p>
<h4>20/4 Tom Britton, Stockholm University: <strong>Mathematical modelling of infectious disease outbreaks like covid-19</strong> <br><a href="https://play.chalmers.se/media/Colloquium+at+the+Mathematical+Sciences+with+Tom+Britton/0_zeabjfyx">(link to video from the seminar at Chalmers Play)</a></h4>
<p>Abstract: Mathematical models for the spread of infectious diseases are used to: better understand spreading mechanisms, determine if a big outbreak is likely to occur and how big it will be, determine if a disease will become endemic, and investigate how various preventive measures can reduce spreading hopefully preventing a major pandemic outbreak or make an endemic disease vanish. Making inference is harder than usual in that the basic events, transmissions, are rarely observed but instead proxies like onset of symptoms are recorded, and also by the fact that these events are dependent rather than independent (as is usually the case).</p>
<p>In the talk I will give an overview of the area with particular focus on emerging outbreaks, including illustrations from the current coronavirus outbreak.</p>

<p>Upcoming seminars are also posted in the <a rel="noopener" href="/en/current/calendar/?event.organisations.name=Department%20of%20Mathematical%20Sciences" target="_blank" title="Link to calendar for Mathematical Sciences" data-anchor="?event.organisations.name=Department%20of%20Mathematical%20Sciences">department calendar</a>.</p>

<p>The seminar usually meets on Mondays 13.15-14.00 CEST in room MVL:14. Talks are usually 25-30 minutes long and 10 minutes for discussion (\pm 5 minutes).</p>
<p>Send an email to the organizer if you want to be added to the seminar's mailling list.</p>
<p><a href="https://chalmers.zoom.us/j/69309989575" title="Zoom-link to CAM-seminar">Zoom meetings link​</a>. Send an email to the organizer if you need the password.</p>
<p>Please <a href="https://researchseminars.org/seminar/cam" title="Link to information about the CAM-seminar.">follow this link</a> for abstract and information about the seminar series.</p>
<p>Further interesting seminars in numerical analysis in Sweden <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/numerics-sverige/" title="Link to seminars in numerical analysis">can be found here</a>.</p>

<h2>Upcoming seminars</h2>
<h3>(always at 13:15 in MV:L14 unless otherwise stated)</h3>
<h3>2025-01-27 Eugen Bronasco, University of Geneva: TBA</h3>

<p>The topics of the Geometry, Algebra and Physics in Deep Neural Networks (GAPinDNNs) seminar are broad and lie at the intersection of machine learning (in particular deep learning), pure mathematics and theoretical physics. We have both more theoretical and more applied speakers. If you would like to receive invitations to upcoming talks, please send an email to the seminar organizers.</p>
<p>Seminars usually happen in-person only on Thursdays at 10.30am at the department of mathematical sciences. After the seminar we go for lunch with the speaker and there is a speaker dinner in the evening before or after the talk.</p>
<p><a rel="noopener" href="/en/current/calendar/?event.organisations.name=Department%20of Mathematical Sciences" target="_blank" title="Link to calendar for Mathematical Sciences." data-anchor="?event.organisations.name=Department of Mathematical Sciences">Check the department calendar</a> for the next planned seminar.</p>

<p>The aims of this seminar series on teaching and pedagogy are to</p>
<ul>
<li>increase the collegial discussion of basic education,</li>
<li>spread good examples within the faculty and</li>
<li>inspire to develop ones teaching.</li>
</ul>
<p>We have seminars with varying themes and a large part of the time will be devoted to discussion.</p>
<p>Previous seminars in the series is listed further down on the page. </p>
<p><a href="/institutioner/mv/forskning/seminarieserier/" title="Länk till sidan på svenska.">For abstracts in Swedish, go to the Swedish page</a>. </p>

<h3>Program for autumn 2024</h3>
<h4>30 September at 15.15–16.15 – Diane Holcomb, Stockholm University: Making an effective digital learning tool (or at least trying to)</h4>
<p>Room: MV:L15</p>
<p>Abstract: Students today have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to learning resources. In addition to traditional sources of textbooks, lectures and peers, they have access to:<br>- Youtube videos on every topic<br>- High powered calculators and graphing tools<br>- Easily accessed solutions to book and practice problems<br>- Many more web based resources</p>
<p>It should be a golden age of learning, but that's not what most of us have experienced as teachers. Instead we find students who work hard and come into a test believing they're prepared, but don't live up to their expectations.</p>
<p>In this seminar I'll give a short introduction to Dogl Calculus, which we developed to help Calculus students engage with the material in a productive way. I'll take you through:&nbsp;<br>- The pedagogical research and principles we designed around<br>- Some key learnings on the journey to creating a study tool students will actually use<br>- How we borrowed from Nintendo to make things better<br>Finally I'll talk a bit about question design for pre-testing and in-class engagement.</p>
<h4>28 October at 15.15–16.15 – Samuel Bengmark and others from Akelius Math Learning Lab: Utveckla och studera digitalt matematikläromedel</h4>
<p>Room: MV:L15</p>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>14 November at 16.00–17.00 – Marcus Berg, Karlstad University: Automaträttning med siffror: hur och varför</h4>
<p>Room: MV:L15</p>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>

<h3>Program 2024</h3>
<p><strong>29 January – Anders Gustavsson, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, joins via Zoom: Hur främjar vi konceptuellt lärande?</strong></p>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<p><strong>26 February – Katarina Blom: Från Matlab till Python</strong></p>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<p><strong>25 March – CANCELLED</strong></p>
<p><strong>29 April – </strong><strong>Jan Stevens: Datorövningar i undervisningen</strong></p>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<p><strong>27 May – </strong><strong>Carl Lindberg: The Three Math Skills Our Students Need in Industry</strong></p>
<p style="background: white;" class="elementtoproof">Abstract: I argue that in order for our students to one day become productive and competent engineers and applied mathematicians when they're working in industry, they need other mathematical skills than the skill of being able to solve standard problems posed to them by others, eg on exams. I suggest how we as teachers can help our students further develop these abilities.</p>
<h3>Program 2023</h3>
<h4>30 January – Olow Sande, Umeå universitet<br>Formativa grupparbeten på nybörjarkurser i matematik</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>6 March – Burkhard Alpers, Aalen University of Applied Science<br>Making mathematics relevant for engineering students</h4>
<p>Often engineering students do not see in which ways their mathematical education is relevant for their engineering study course (“Why and where do I need this?”).</p>
<p>In my talk I will outline different ways to let students experience the relevance starting with classical learning settings like lectures and assignments and moving on to project tasks where more self-organised student activity is required. I will also talk about ways to find suitable tasks for students.</p>
<h4>4 April – Annoesjka Cabo, TU Delft<br>The Mathematics of Education - Integrate, Differentiate, Transform</h4>
<p>At TU Delft service mathematics is provided by mathematicians. About 40 staff members deliver basic mathematics courses to 20.000 students per year. In this talk I share the material developed in the Programme of Innovation in Mathematics Education (PRIME): applets, online exercises, slides, videos, etc . Moreover I would like to discuss what it takes for such a large-scale innovation with tailored approaches to different study programmes to succeed and keep on doing so.</p>
<h4>24 April – Ulla Dinger, Chalmers/University of Gothenburg<br>Mentorprogram för nya lärare och doktorander.</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>29 May – Irina Pettersson, Chalmers/University of Gothenburg<br>Aktiv inlärning och andra knep</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>30 October – Laura Fainsilber and Linnea Hietala<br>Gruppuppgifter för matematisk diskussion på distansbasåret</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>27 November – Karl de Fine Licht, TME<br>AI in Higher Education</h4>
<p>Abstract: In the past year, there has been intense discussion surrounding the use of "generative AI" in higher education. While some have advocated for a complete ban, most suggest a more nuanced approach, proposing that we allow certain uses under specific circumstances while disallowing others. In this seminar, we will explore the tools that are relevant in an academic context, understand their capabilities and limitations, and discuss some prospects about what the future may hold.</p>
<h4>18 December – Staffan Frid, Klara Teoretiska Gymnasium, Stockholm<br>Skärmlös spelifikation som ett verktyg för ökad aktivitet i matematikklassrummet på gymnasiet</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h3>Program 2022</h3>
<h4>28 februari – Seidon Alsaody, Uppsala Universitet<br>Linjär algebra, aktivt och konceptuellt</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>28 mars – Jonas Månsson, Lunds Tekniska Högskola<br>Matematik på YouTube</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>25 april – Olle Häggström<br>Bildningskurser på universitetsnivå</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>30 maj – Julie Rowlett<br>Erfarenheter av att använda Inspera för online examination</h4>
<h4>26 september – Jonny Lindström<br>Lärandeaktiviteter i stora föreläsningsgrupper</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>24 oktober – Samuel Bengmark<br>Pragmatic Research on Pedagogical Practice-PREP</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>1 december – Elin Götmark, Martin Hallnäs, Andreas Rosén, Ulla Dinger<br>Kommunikationsspåret</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>19 december – Meike Akveld, ETH<br>Improving mathematics diagnostic tests using item analysis</h4>
<p>Many universities use diagnostic tests to assess incoming students’ preparedness for mathematics courses. Diagnostic test results can help students to identify topics where they need more practice, and give lecturers a summary of strengths and weaknesses in their class. We demonstrate a process that can be used to make improvements to a mathematics diagnostic test, so that it provides better information about students’ abilities. To identify questions that could be improved, our process uses item response theory to analyse student data. We provide an accessible introduction to the key ideas of item response theory, and demonstrate applying the process to make improvements to diagnostic tests at two universities. Our method provides a model for others wishing to make improvements to mathematics diagnostic tests.</p>
<h3>Program 2021</h3>
<h4>22 februari – Jonas Enger, Fysik <br>Didaktiskt inriktad högskolepedagogisk kurs</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>7 april – Klas Modin<br>Using Jupyter Notebook and Canvas in combination</h4>
<p>Ideas on how to integrate Jupyther Notebook in Canvas.</p>
<h4>26 april – Stefan Lemurell<br>Högskolepedagogiska kurser</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>31 maj – Elin Götmark<br>Erfarenheter av Flipped Classroom</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>27 september – Åke Fäldt, Fysik<br>Gruppduggor som ett effektivt pedagogiskt hjälpmedel</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>25 oktober – Hossein Raufi<br>Erfarenheter av aktiv undervisning</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>22 november – Max Lyles, jurist på GU<br>Distansundervisning: juridiska frågor</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h3>Program 2020</h3>
<h4>27 januari – Marija Cvijovic<br>Teaching math to non-mathematicians: one size does not fit all</h4>
<h4>24 februari – Samuel Bengmark<br>Bevisens roll i undervisningen</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>30 mars – Stefan Lemurell<br>Dela erfarenheter av distansundervisning</h4>
<p>Seminar to share experiences after the first week of distance teaching.</p>
<h4>27 april – Stefan Lemurell<br>Erfarenheter av examination på distans</h4>
<h4>18 maj – Jana Madjarova<br>Tråckelstygn och efterstygn, eller hur man förlänger en läsperiod.</h4>
<h4>26 oktober – Elin Götmark, Torbjörn Lundh och Serik Sagitov Bildningskurser i matematik</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>14 december – Jan-Fredrik Olsen, Lund<br>Programmering som verktyg i undervisningen av gränsvärdesbegreppet</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Seminarier 2019</h3>
<h4>18 februari – Julie Rowlett <br>(klein)-Kleindagarna</h4>
<p>The "Kleindagarna" is a workshop held bi-annually at the Mittag-Leffler Institute. This workshop brings together teachers from Swedish high schools and universities, with the aim of working together to create interesting, engaging, and educational lesson plans. I was invited this January to give one of four "inspirational lectures". In the end, though, I was no less inspired than the other participants, coming away with new energy and ideas for teaching. Here, we will have a klein-Kleindag together! To start, I will explain what we did in the Kleindagarna. Then, we will work together in the same way:&nbsp; we shall split into groups based on choosing one of four topics. Each group will work together to create a pilot lesson plan inspired by their chosen topic. A key and guiding element will be the "5 Es". At the end, each group will share their pilot lesson plan. The group work can be either Swedish or English, as people prefer!</p>
<h4>18 mars – Bo Berndtsson<br>Kursen Perspektiv på matematik</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>29 april – Sonja Bjelobaba, GU och Uppsala universitet<br>Designa bort plagiering</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>27 maj – Laura Fainsilber<br>Höstmatte: ett försök med självstudier för repetition inför den första matematikkursen, med hjälp av filmer och test i Möbius</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>30 september – Ulla Dinger<br>Mentorsprogram för nya lärare</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>28 oktober – Linda Mattsson, BTH<br>Hur kan vi öka civilingenjörsstudenters fokus på kreativa matematiska lösningsstrategier?</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>25 november – David Witt Nyström<br>"How I wish I'd taught maths"- tankar om boken av Craig Barton</h4>
<h3>Program 2018</h3>
<h4>19 februari – Samuel Bengmark<br>En modell för undervisningskompetenser</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>12 mars – Torbjörn Lundh<br>Fermatpedagogik – en metod att underlätta studenters föreläsningsantecknande</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>16 april – Erik Broman<br>Mina budord för undervisning</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.</p>
<h4>14 maj – Samuel Bengmark<br>Vad skulle få dig att söka Excellent Teaching Practitioner</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish..&nbsp;</p>
<h4>24 september – Lars Filipsson, KTH<br>Interaktiva föreläsningar</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>29 oktober - Samuel Bengmark<br>Om kursutvärderingar inte mäter kursens effektivitet, hur skall vi då använda dem?</h4>
<p>Discussion about studies from Department of Statistics at UC Berkeley.<br>(<a href="https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=42e6aae5-246b-4900-8015-dc99b467b6e4">Stark 2014</a>, <a href="https://www.scienceopen.com/document?vid=818d8ec0-5908-47d8-86b4-5dc38f04b23e">Boring 2016</a>).&nbsp;</p>
<h4>26 november – Anders Logg<br>Matematikundervisning på M</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>17 december – Thomas Wernstål<br>Examination av Matlab med Möbius</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Program 2017</h3>
<h4>20 mars – Vilhelm Adolfsson och Daniel Persson<br>Filmer i undervisningen</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>24 april – Samuel Bengmark<br>Tentarättning – hur gör vi, och hur gör man bäst?</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>22 maj – Sergey Zuev <br>VLE</h4>
<h4>18 september – Samuel Bengmark<br>Vad krävs för att lyckas i övergången från gymnasie- till högskolematematik?</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>16 oktober – Damiano Ognissanti <br>Möbius</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>20 november – Jonny Lindström och Jan Stevens<br>Examination av Matlab med Maple T.A.</h4>
<h4>11 december – Elin Götmark <br>Studenters matematiska skrivande​</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Program 2016</h3>
<h4>14 mars – Stefan Lemurell <br>Kursplaner och examination</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>25 april – Thomas Wernstål<br>Ping Pong/GUL</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>9 maj – Ulla Dinger<br>Studentansvar</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>23 maj – Ulla Dinger<br>Akademisk ärlighet</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>24 oktober – Samuel Bengmark<br>Om föreläsningar</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>21 november – Ann-Brith Strömberg och Kerstin Wiklander<br>Inslag om hållbar utveckling i våra kurser</h4>
<p>Abstract in Swedish.&nbsp;</p>
<h4>19 december – Jan Stevens<br>Maple T.A.</h4>
<p>Examples of the use of Maple T.A. in teaching.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Please <a href="https://researchseminars.org/seminar/gbgstats" title="Link to information about Gothenburg statistical seminar.">follow this link</a> for abstract and information about the seminar series. You will also find information about the next seminar in the calendar.</p>

<p>Most of the seminars are in Swedish, and information is on <a href="/institutioner/mv/forskning/seminarieserier/" title="Link to seminar page in Swedish">the Swedish page</a>. Any seminars held in English will be published here.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>2024-12-18 – Seif Sharif: Three forms of feedback in digital learning material in mathematics</h3>
<h3>2024-11-20 – Anna Holmlund: How models for equation solving address coefficients</h3>
<p>Abstract: We review existing mathematical strategies and didactic models of equations solving and explore how they can address coefficients, with a special focus on decimal numbers and negative numbers.</p>
<h3>2024-10-23&nbsp;–&nbsp;Sebastian Kilde Löfgren: ChatGPT as a lab partner</h3>
<p>Abstract: For the past year and a half, generative AI tools, spearheaded by the public release of the chatbot ChatGPT, have led to a broad debate on their impact on education and future workforce needs. During the seminar, I will present results from a study investigating how interacting with ChatGPT during laboratory work might open up more opportunities for students to get guidance and help typically sought from their teacher. The study was conducted as a case study involving seven groups of Swedish upper-secondary school students studying either Physics 1, Physics 2, or Physics 3. The collected data consist of video recordings of the students during the lab, chat history with ChatGPT 3.5, handwritten notes during the lab, and a video-recorded group interview with each group before and after the lab.</p>
<h3>2023-11-02 – <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gse.harvard.edu/directory/faculty/jon-star" target="_blank" title="Jon Star">Jon Star</a>, Harvard: Mathematical flexibility: A promising focus for research and practice</h3>
<p>Abstract: Mathematical flexibility is increasingly recognized as an important construct of interest for both researchers and practitioners in mathematics education. Flexibility can be characterized as a learner’s willingness to change strategies based on the particular problem-solving conditions or goals. In this talk, I first provide an introduction to flexibility. I then explore different ways that flexibility has been assessed, highlighting successes and challenges in the various forms of assessment. I then present recent empirical research results on flexibility, and I conclude by suggesting some promising areas for future research on flexibility.</p>
<h3>2023-08-28 – Javier Marmolejo and Sebastian Kilde: Visualizing the spherical well potential: The missing analogy on the path toward teaching the hydrogen atom</h3>
<p>Abstract: An important milestone in teaching quantum mechanics is modeling the hydrogen atom. Usually, the path starts with solving the Schrödinger equation for the square well potential, placing the electron inside a one-dimensional box. It then moves up in complexity and closer to the hydrogen atom through the harmonic potential, the cubic well, and maybe even the quantum rotor. However, the most intuitive approximation to an atom, that of placing the electron inside a spherical box, is rarely included in textbooks, and important concepts, such as angular momentum, are lost. Here we introduce a graphical method of teaching the spherical well potential using an analogy between optics and quantum mechanics. It is backed up by recent experimental data on the optical resonances of an evaporating droplet. The explanation helps build a quantum mechanical intuition based on the shape of the potentials and the resulting resonances. As opposed to the square and harmonic potentials, it includes the concept of quantized angular momentum, while staying in one dimension, the radial one. The model can also highlight other quantum concepts such as tunneling, ground and excited states, and Fano resonances. This approach is akin to the analogy between a square well potential and a Fabry-Perot cavity and provides the missing link on the path to teaching the hydrogen atom.</p>
<p>This research seminar is arranged together with the research group PER at the Department of Physics.</p>

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