Monthly Archives: March 2016

Mitchener’s MESS scheduled for Wed., April 6, 2016.

This semester’s MESS (Mathematical Explorations Seminar Series) of colloquium talks for undergraduate math majors continues at 3:10pm Wed. April 6, 2016, in 104 RSS with “Using artificial life simulations to test hypotheses about evolutionary dynamics,” by Professor Garrett Mitchener.  Professor Mitchener is an imaginative researcher whose many interests include modeling the forces at work in natural selection and how they play into the evolution of communication.21W

For more information, see the flyer.

The talk is preceded by tea in the math department lounge 346 RSS at 2:45pm. 

Keynote Mathematics Colloquium on Friday, March 4th

On Friday, March 4th starting at 3:10pm in RSS 102, Keith Promislow of Michigan State University will give a fascinating talk about deep connections between mathematics and polymer physics in a talk about Amphiphilic Polymer Membranes.

Title: Network Formation in Amphiphilic Polymer Membranes

Abstract: Polymer chains are typically hydrophobic, the addition of functional groups to the backbone adds regions of hydrophilicity. The amphiphilic material (both hydrophobic and hydrophilic) has a strong affinity for solvent, imbibing it to self assemble charge-lined networks which serve as charge-selective ion conductors in a host of energy conversion applications. We present a continuum model for the free energy of an amphiphilic mixture. The associated gradient flows admit dynamic competition between network morphologies of distinct co-dimension.  We present the competitive geometric evolution for co-dimension 1 bilayers and co-dimension two pore morphologies, present an analysis of the associated spectral problems, and describe rigorous existence results.

The talk will be aimed at a general scientific audience and everyone is welcome to join Dr. Promislow and the faculty of the Department of Mathematics for tea prior to the talk at 2:45pm in RSS 346.