The City College of New York Mathematics Colloquia

The Math Department Colloquia are a series of talks intended for a general audience. Everyone is encouraged to attend and the talks are directed at people who have a reasonable comprehension of the topics in undergraduate mathematics. Come meet our undergraduates, graduate students and faculty as well as our distinguished guest speakers.

Generally, the talks will be Thursdays at 1pm

Speaker: Paolo Barbano, CCNY Dept. of Mathematics

Time: Thursday, Nov 21st, 1 PM in NAC 1511e

Title: Harmonic analysis for Biological and Engineering Sciences II

Abstract: The goal of this talk is to give an idea of the complexity of the problems that have to be faced in the process of mapping an analytical solution to real-world algorithms. In a typical problem, one is given an irregular sampling of data in the frequency domain and one is interested in reconstructing the corresponding function in the physical domain. When the sampling is uniform, the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) allows this calculation to be permormed in O(N log(N) operations rather than O(N^2) operations. Unfortunately, when the sampling is nonuniform, the FFT does not apply. Over the last few years, a number of algorithms have been developed to overcome this limitation.

Speaker: Ben Fine, Fairfield University and Xiaowei Xu, CUNY

Title: Demonstration of CAISS-Stat

Time: Thursday, Novemebr 7th, 1 PM in NAC 1511e

Abstract: CAISS, the Center for Algorithms and Interactive Scientific Software at City College, chose as one of its early projects an analysis of whether the underlying MAGNUS computational paradigm and interface could be extended to other scientific computational environments. Statistics was the initial discipline chosen for such an activity, and in the past year Ben Fine, Professor of Mathematics at Fairfield University, Sean Cleary of CCNY, and Xiaowei Xu, Graduate Student in Computer Science at CUNY, have made substantial progress and have produced an alpha-version of CAISS-Stat.

CAISS-Stat is designed to be an introduction to elementary statistics, but can also be used as a research or reporting tool. Fine and Xu will present a "live" demonstration of the software. The presentation will be accessible to a broad scientific audience and will be of particular interest to those with interest in statistics, computation or computer learning environments.

Speaker: Paolo Barbano, CCNY Dept. of Mathematics

Title: Harmonic analysis for Biological and Engineering Sciences

Time: Thursday, October 31, 1 PM in NAC 1511e

Abstract: This talk is an introduction to techniques of classical and multiresolution Harmonic Analysis that have recently produced remarkable results in the context of Data Analysis for Biological and Engineering sciences. The same techniques find natural applications in the field of Digital Signal Processing for telecommunications. The presentation is mathematically oriented. However, it is intended to be accessible to both researchers and graduate students in different fields of Mathematics.

Speaker: Walter Neumann, Professor of Mathematics, Columbia University

Title: Computing with hyperbolic 3-manifolds

POSTPONED- rescheduled date to be announced

Abstract: Jeff Weeks' program Snappea, developed for the Mac during the 80's and early 90's, is a widely used and powerful tool for computing with hyperbolic manifolds. Although often cited in research articles as "proving the existence" of hyperbolic structures, its 14 digit numerical computations provide "absolute confidence" rather than proof. The program Snap uses snappea code plus exact arithmetic (provided by the pari libraries) to give exact computations of hyperbolic structures. It is hence also able to compute arithmetic invariants of hyperbolic manifolds. I will demonstrate these programs and describe some of their internals and the underlying mathematics.

Speaker: William Sit, CCNY Math Dept

Title: Computing and Mathematics: from teaching to research. "What can a Math Department do?

Thurs, Oct 10 at 1pm in NAC 1511

Abstract: I'll discuss the different issues and choices a mathematics faculty faces as technology plays an increased role in the curriculum and in mathematical and scientific research.

Speaker: Timothy Daly, CAISS Research Scientist

Title: Literate Programming

Thurs, Sept 26 at 1pm in NAC 6113

Abstract: Donald Knuth, the author of "The Art of Computer Programming", introduced the concept of Literate Programming. Knuth was concerned with improving the art of documenting programs, making the result more like a book. The concept is important when software systems become complex. This talk discusses some recent work on expanding the concept to include integrating research, programs, documentation, test cases, and examples. Lunch in the faculty dining room beforehand at noon.

Speaker: Marianna Papaleo

Title: Quantum Computation: An Introduction

Thurs, Sept 12 at 1pm in NAC 6113

Abstract: An introduction to quantum logic and quantum algorithms for students and scientists interested in quantum computation, but who may not have knowledge of quantum physics. Some topics to be discussed include reversible logic gates, quantum logic gates, an introduction to Dirac notation, and a sketch of a quantum algorithm Lunch in the faculty dining room beforehand at noon.

Mathematics Department Homepage
Dr. Cleary's Homepage

Questions? E-mail:
cleary (at sign) sci.ccny.cuny.edu