Invited Paper Sessions

Open and Accessible Problems in Knot Theory
Thursday afternoon
Description: With the increase in undergraduate research there is also an increased need for open and accessible problems for students to tackle. Knot theory is particularly fertile ground for such problems. Each speaker in this session will introduce a topic, pose three open questions that are accessible to undergraduate research, and place the questions in context of the topic. The final time slot in the session will consist of a discussion/reception where faculty and undergraduates can further discuss open problems with the speakers.
Organizers:
Lew Ludwig, Denison University
Laura Taalman, James Madison University
Speakers:
Colin Adams, Williams College
Matt Delong, Taylor University
Elizabeth Denne, Washington and Lee University
Sandy Ganzell, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Lou Kauffman, University of Illinois at Chicago
Lew Ludwig, Denison University
Sam Nelson, Claremont McKenna College
Laura Taalman, James Madison University
Joel Foisy, SUNY Potsdam

Complex Geometry Research and Accessible Problems
Friday afternoon
Description: Complex geometry continues to be an area of fruitful research at all levels, from undergraduates to professional researchers. Areas as diverse as algebraic geometry and complex dynamics make use of the structure that complex analysis provides. In this session the speakers will highlight areas of current research related to complex geometry and point out opportunities for research involving undergraduates.
Organizers:
Lynette Boos, Providence College
Su-Jeong Kang, Providence College
Speakers:
Michael J. Dorff, Brigham Young University
Julia Barnes, Western Carolina University
Michael A. Brilleslyper, US Air Force Academy
Erik Lundberg, Purdue University

Climate and Geophysical Modeling
Saturday afternoon
Description: Mathematical models of the atmosphere, oceans, and other geophysical systems and are a key part of understanding Earth system dynamics and the effects of climate change. The Earth system is immensely complex and mathematical and computational techniques are vital to analyzing and studying the dynamics. In honor of the 2013 Mathematics of Planet Earth initiative, this session will highlight role of mathematics in modeling, predicting, and explaining behavior in areas such as hydrodynamics, atmospheric and oceanic circulation, sea ice, and biogeochemical processes. It will focus research involving computational models of geophysical systems and the integration of data into these models.
Organizer:
Matthew J. Hoffman, Rochester Institute of Technology
Speakers:
Lewis Mitchell, University of Vermont
Raj Saha, Bowdoin College
Diane Henderson, Penn State University
Corban Harwood, George Fox University
Louis-Philippe Nadeau, NYU
Steven Penny, University of Maryland

Developments in Commutative Algebra
Thursday afternoon
Description: Commutative algebra may be thought of as studying solutions of many equations in many unknowns when, typically, the solution is not unique. The set of solutions could then be viewed geometrically, but one can instead encode all the relevant information about the equations in algebraic objects called commutative rings. Study of the resulting ring structure can then give information about the geometric object, or can be pursued in its own right. In this Invited
Paper Session, current research results in commutative algebra will be presented in a way that will be inviting to a non-expert audience.
Organizers:
Susan Loepp, Williams College
Janet Striuli, Fairfield University
Speakers:
TBA

Recent Developments in Mathematical Finance
Saturday afternoon
Description: This invited paper session will address recent challenges and solutions in Mathematical Finance. In particular, presentation themes will cover the theories of optimal investment, options pricing, risk management and price impact for large investors. The mathematical methods used herein are primarily from the field of Stochastic Analysis, but also branch out to include results from general Probability Theory, Partial Differential Equations, Convex and Harmonic Analysis, as well as Game Theory.
While the chief objective of the session is to provide results from the forefront of research into Mathematical Finance, a significant secondary goal is to make the talks accessible to a broader audience. Special attention will be paid to undergraduate and graduate students, as well as those researchers with a basic working knowledge of Probability and Stochastic Processes. Indeed, this session hopes to convince those who attend it that there are many interesting and challenging open problems in Mathematical Finance, both from a Mathematical and “Real World” perspective.
Organizers:
Tomoyuki Ichiba, University of California Santa Barbara
Scott Robertson, Carnegie Mellon University
Speakers:
Olympia Hadjiliadis, CUNY Brooklyn
Gerard Brunick, UC Santa Barbara
Maxim Bichuch, Princeton University
Scott Robertson, Carnegie Mellon University
Stephan Sturm, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Coding Theory and ...
Friday afternoon
Description: Whenever information is transmitted or stored, errors are bound to occur. It is the goal of coding theory to devise efficient methods of adding redundancy to the information so that these errors can be detected and corrected. By its very nature, coding theory lies at the intersection of mathematics, computer science, and electrical engineering. Many different areas of mathematics have found applications in coding theory, including linear algebra, combinatorial designs, number theory, group theory, algebraic geometry, and graph theory, just to name a few. Each talk in this session will highlight a connection between coding theory and some area of mathematics, either by discussing how that branch of mathematics was used to obtain a recent coding theoretic result or by discussing how coding theory can be incorporated into an undergraduate-level course in that branch of mathematics.
Organizers:
Katie Morrison, University of Northern Colorado
Judy L. Walker, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Speakers:
David Clark, University of Minnesota
Jonathan I. Hall, Michigan State University
Susan Loepp, Williams College
Justin Peachey, Davidson College
Elizabeth Weaver, Indiana University Southeast
Nora Youngs, University of Nebraska -- Lincoln