The Mathematics Colloquia is a series of talks by the Willamette University Math Department and visiting speakers. These talks are aimed at faculty and undergraduate math students and will introduce the audience to fun, interesting applications of undergraduate mathematics, as well as more advanced topics in mathematics research. Unless otherwise noted, colloquium talks will be held Thursdays at 4:30pm on zoom. We hope you can join us!
Colloquium Schedule (Google Calendar)
Colloquium Schedule 2020-21
2020-21 Talks
September 2020
9/17
Seth Bell ('23), Willamette University
Routing by matching on convex pieces of grid graphs
2019-20 Talks
April 2020
4/23
Dr.Laura Taalman, James Madison University
Coding and Generative Design for 3D Printing
4/16
Ana Wright(Pre-PhD student), University of Nebraska-Licoln
A Journey Through Hyperbolic Space
4/09
Dane Miyata(Pre-PhD student), University of Oregon
An Introduction to Gröbner Bases: Why Polynomial Long Division is Actually Awesome!
4/02
Dr. Christian Hampson, Willamette University
Spreading Disease and Memes on Networks
March 2020
3/05
Dr. Kathrine McLaughlin, Oregon State University
Estimating the Size of Hidden Populations using Respondent-Driven Sampling
February 2020
2/28
Dr. Leanne Merrill, Western Oregon University
The Magical Number 9
January 2020
1/28
Professor Shabnam Akhtari, University of Oregon
Quadratic Forms; From Gauss to Bhargava
November 2019
11/21
Prof. Blessing Emerenini, Oregon State University
Hallowing Effects
11/14
Prof. Yung-Pin Chen, Lewis and Clark College
Random Walks Along Rectangular Lattices
October 2019
10/31
Prof. Heather Kitada Smalley, Willamette University
Spooky Statistics
10/10
Prof. Erika B. Roldan Roa, Ohio State University
The Mutando of Insanity
September 2019
9/19
Sam Johnston, Willamette University
Over the Hedge: Introducing the mathematics of option trading through sequentail regression in discrete market models
9/12
Sam MacDonald, Willamette University
The Complexities of Convexity
2018-19 Talks
April 2019
4/25
Prof. Inga Johnson, Willamette University
Coloring Knots
4/11
Breeann Flesch, Western Oregon University
Approval Gap of Weighted K-Majority Tournaments
4/4
Prof. Inga Johnson, Willamette University
An Introduction to Topological Data Analysis
March 2019
3/21
Prof. Josh Laison, Willamette University
Distinguishing, Determining, Fixing, Stamping, and Otherwise Breaking Graph Symmetries
December 2018
12/7
Heather Kitada, Reed College
Exploring Model Specification and Imputation Methods to Address Bias in Surveys
12/6
Harbour Harrison & Brandon Nelson, Willamette University
Advancement of Statistics, Data, and Technology in Baseball
November 2018
11/8
Evgenia Chunikhina, Oregon State University
Statistical Machine Learning for Recommender Systems: LDA and K-means
11/1
Professor Nancy Ann Neudauer, Pacific University
w/Gary Gordon, Jennifer McNulty, and students
Extending Fixing Numbers of Graphs to Matroids
October 2018
10/26
Professor Steve Bleiler, Portland State University
Exploring the Geometry of Music with Technology
10/4
Professor Josh Laison, Willamette University
Prime Distance Graphs: Making Difficult Problems Seem Easier Using Pretty Diagrams
2017-18 Talks
April 2018
4/12
Emerald Stacy, Oregon State University
Totally P-Adic Numbers of Small Height
4/10
Stephanie Partlow (WU Alum) Woodburn Wellness, Business and Sports School
From Calculus to Lightsabers: Fostering Student Success and Interest in Advanced Mathematics in a Culturally and Economically Diverse High School
4/5
Hannah Jackson, Clark College
Mathematics Education at Two-Year Colleges: Benefits and Challenges of Teaching a Diverse Population
March 2018
3/18
Everett Sullivan, Lewis & Clark College
Linear Cord Diagrams with Long Chords
3/8
Richard Moy, Willamette University
Factoring Polynomials: You Mean There's More Than the Quadratic Formula?
3/1
Vladimir Bulatov, Shapeways
Visualization of Hyperbolic Groups and Art
February 2018
2/22
Kyle Hart and Michael Lasarev, OHSU
What is Biostatistics?
2/1
Allison Arnold-Roksandich, Oregon State University
Counting ETA-Quotients of Prime Level
January 2018
1/25
Kathryn Nyman, Willamette University
Cutting Cakes with Combinatorial Fixed Points
December 2017
12/4
Leo Goldstein, Willamette University
Philosophies of Math: Why Should We Care?
November 2017
11/30
Evan Hedlund, Corban University
When Arithmetic Dynamics and Cryptanalysis Collide
11/16
Mathew Titus, Oregon State University
A Smattering of Applications of the Laplace Operator
11/9
Matthew Nabity, Western Oregon University
Dimensional Analysis for All
11/2
Charles Dunn, Linfield College
Clique-Relaxed Graph Coloring
11/1
Tutor Outreach at Willamette
October 2017
10/26
William DeLee/Lars Mayrand
The Ehrenfest Urn Model
10/12
Kyle Salois
Intersection Graphs of Maximal Sub-Polygons of k-lizards
September 2017-
9/21
Ross Casebolt '12; Pre-Med U of O
Symmetry Structures: Classifying Finite Planar Groups
9/7
Allison Kerkhoff and Zechariah Hazel
LARC - Creating Problems
May-
5/2/17
Math Senior Thesis: Taylor Matsumura, Rufei Men, and Mattie Wiltbank
Efficient Mino Foldings
Math Senior Thesis: Jeremy Coste and Dane Miyata
Weighted k-Majority Tournaments
April-
4/27/17
Math Senior Thesis: Katy Ohsiek and Ana Wright
Mountain Graphs in Origami Crease Patterns
Math Senior Thesis: Samuel Coste and Boyuan Lyu
The Accountable Art Gallery Problem
4/26/17
Math Senior Thesis: Megan Duff and Kees McGahan
Transport Pebbling
4/20/17
Colin Starr, Willamette University
Unipancyclic Graphs and Matroids, or I Thought This Would Be Easier
4/6/17
Richard Moy, Willamette University
What is Mathematical Research? A Former Undgrad's Tale
March-
3/23/17
Naiomi Cameron, Lewis & Clark College
Belyi Maps for Trees of a Given Passport
3/16/17
Holly Swisher, Oregon State University
Ramanujan's Mock Theta Functions and Quantum Modular Forms
3/2/17
Vivek Pal, University of Oregon
Combinatorics and Magic Tricks
February-
2/8/17
Derek Garton, Portland State University
Dynamically Distinguishing Polynomials
2/2/17
Fractals: Hunting the Hidden Dimenstion (Nova Video)
2016-17 Talks
December-
12/8/16
Anna Wright '17
Mixing Time of the Generalized Rook's Walk
Dane Miyata '17
Neural Mapping Using Grobner Bases
12/1/16
Evan Hedlund, Corban University
Applications of Local Fields in the Classification of Rational Periodic Points of the Map Qc(x)=x2+c
November-
11/17/16
Taylor Mutch '15
Data Visualization & Decision Support
11/10/16
Carolyn Yackel, Mercer University
Discrete Planar and Spherical Symmetries
11/3/16
McKenzie West, Reed College
Solutions of Polynomial Equations: Not So Easy After All
October-
10/20/16
Breeann Flesch, Western Oregon University
Variations of Interval Graphs
10/13/16
Karl-Dieter Crisman, Gordon College
Connecting Voting Theory and Graph Theory
September-
9/22/16
Joshua Scott & Aimee Reynolds, McKay High School
Willamette Students and the McKay Algebra Academy
9/15/16
Dr. Martin Flashman, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, Humboldt State University
The Role of Philosophy in Proof: Euclid's Proof of Proposition 1
2015-16 Talks
April-
4/28/16
Colleen Chrisinger, Oregon Department of Revenue
Taxing Marijuana and Other Adventures
4/26/16
Albert Garcia, WU Math/Econ
Senior Thesis Presentation
March-
3/31/16
John Hossler, Seattle Pacific University
Let’s Play! Principles of Gamification in Higher Education, Especially in STEM Courses
3/17/16
Marylesa Howard. National Securities Technology, LLC
The Need for Mathematics, Science, and Engineering in Nuclear Security
3/3/16
Christian Millichap, Linfield College
How Many Different Ways Can You Prove There Are Infinitely Many Primes?
February-
2/25/16
Prof. Colin Starr, Willamette University
Prime Product Distance Graphs and Prime Power Distance Graphs
2/11/16
Prof. Josh Laison, Willamette University
Variations of Graph Pebbling
2/4/16
Prof. Peter Otto, Willamette University
Path Coupling Method to Bound Mixing Times of Markov Chains
November -
11/12/15
Shelbi Jenkins, Jaqueline Remmel and N. Spencer Sitton
Differential Equations Rock!
11/5/15
Joshua Scott and Aimee Reynolds
Willamette Students and the McKay Academy
October -
10/29/15
N. Spencer Sitton, Willamette University Math Department
The Unsolvable: Equations Whose Solutions Can Never Be Found
10/8/15
N. Spencer Sitton, Willamette University Math Department
The Great Art of Solving Equations
September -
9/24/15
Jesse Walker, Ph.D., Intel Corporation
The evolution of cryptographic hash function design
9/17/15
Elton Graves, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
How Mathematicians Play Dot-to-Dot to Design Air-Foils and Other Useful Things
9/10/2015
Ross Casebolt, Portland State University (WU Alum '12)
Linear algebra applications: using matrices to represent finite groups
9/3/2015
Max Lipton, WU Mathematics Major
Differential Equations on Fractals
2014-15 Talks
May -
5/4/2015
Professor Mark Janeba, Willamette University
Really Big Numbers, Really Old Mathematics, and Endangered Internet Commerce
March -
3/31/15
Professor Erin McNicholas, Willamette University
Fall 2015 Math Preview
3/19/15
Heidi Andersen '11, University of Minnesota
Fantastic Groups and Where to Find Them
3/12/15
Professor Inga Johnson
All Tangled Up: Conway's Classification of Rational Tangles
3/5/15
Professor Josh Laison
Modern Board Games and the Math Behind Them
December -
12/4/14
Jeremy Coste and Kees McGahan
Cops and Robbers on Graphs
Join us as we explore the game of Cops and Robbers on graphs. We will take a look at cop-win and robber-win graphs, as well as finding algorithms for computing the cop number. Furthermore, we will learn some variations of the game with firefighters and helicopters!
November -
11/24/14
Jared Nishikawa, Willamette '10
Hash Functions, A Soft Intro
11/13/14
Benjamin Young, University of Oregon
Tiling an Aztec Diamond
11/6 Bob Milnikel, Kenyon College
A New Angle on An Old Construction
October -
10/30 Lexi Scheel & Eric Samelson
Lexi and Eric's Summer Research
September -
9/23 Mega Menger Mania!
Discussion of fractals, fractal movies, and folding more menger cubes.
9/18 Spencer Sitton
Partial Differential Equations & Equivalence
9/11 Dr. Elton Graves, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Seeing the Wave: A Mathematical Simulation of the Waller Violin
2013-14 Talks
April -
4/17 Liz McMahon, Lafayette College
Mathematics in the Game of Set
4/10 Gary Gordon, Lafayette College
Pick a Tree, Any Tree
March -
3/13 Paul Cull, Computer Science, Oregon State University
Solving Towers of Hanoi and Related Puzzles
3/7 Matt Anderson
A Prime Producing Polynomial
February -
2/20 K. Tucker (a.k.a k-TUCK)
Enumeration and Projection Dependence of 1-Singular Knots
2/20 R. Robinson (a.k.a Ray-Robins)
Convergence of Sequences of Polygons
December -
12/5 Jordan Purdy, Mathematics Dept
Spatial Statistics - Logistic Regression, the Autologistic Model and Mountain Pine Beetle
12/4 Samantha Reynolds, Willamette University '14
College Entrance Exam Firms, Nonprofit Efficiency, and Testing Fees
November -
11/14 Professor Inga Johnson, Mathematics Dept
Topology, Homology and Applications to Data
October -
10/31 Jeff Schreiner-McGraw and Will Agnew-Svoboda
Unipancyclic Matroids
10/24 Nancy Ann Neudauer, Pacific University
What is a Matroid? Investigations of asymptotic enumeration in matroids
10/3 Yumi Li, Math Major
Put Your Thinking CAPS On (Exploring Finite Geometry in the Card Game SET®)
September -
9/19 Ryan Wright, Janrain Inc.
Computing the Coming Robot Apocalypse: The math behind Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning