Past Events

Otto calculus is a fundamental toolbox in mathematical optimal transport, imparting the Wasserstein space of probability measures with a Riemmanian structure. In particular, one can compute the Riemannian gradient of a functional over this space and...

A group is just a set together with a multiplication with certain properties, and these are ubiquitous in modern mathematics. In homotopy theory, we often see less-rigid objects, with many of the properties like associativity or commutativity only...

Every animal cell is filled with a cytoskeleton, a dynamic gel made of inextensible filaments / bio-polymers, such as microtubules, actin filaments, and intermediate filaments, all suspended in a viscous fluid. Similar suspensions of elastic...

Let G be a connected simple graph and L be its Laplacian matrix. Let v be a cut vertex and B be a branch at v. Assume that v_1 is the only vertex in B adjacent to v. Let P be a path that starts at v_1 and stays inside B. It is shown that the...

During 2005-2006, Arveson and Douglas formulated a challenging conjecture in multivariable operator theory regarding the essential normality of compressed shifts in the usual Hilbert spaces of analytic functions, say, Bergman spaces on strongly...

What is May 12? May 12 is a joyful opportunity for the mathematical community to celebrate women in mathematics. The celebration takes place every year, all around the world. The goal of the day is to inspire women everywhere to celebrate their...

SFU's Association for Women in Mathematics Student Chapter, in collaboration with the Department of Mathematics EDI Advisory Group, is hosting a series of events for the International Women in Mathematics Day. The celebration begins with a Women’s...

Back in the old days, before the invention of Apple Wireless Airpods, people were more familiar with the tendency of the headphones in their pockets to become knotted. It seems natural to expect that the probability that a random curve is tangled...

Schedule Part I: Invited talks by visitors (25 min + 5 min Q) 10:30 Coffee, tea & cookies; (intro’s and tech set-up) 11:00 Carsten Beta, (U Potsdam) Composite active matter – how motile cells move passive micro-cargo 11: 30 Arik Yochelis (Ben Gurion...

Borsuk’s number b(n) is the smallest integer such that any set of diameter 1 in the n-dimensional space can be covered by b(n) sets of a smaller diameter. Exponential upper bounds on b(n) were first obtained by Shramm (1988) and later by Bourgain and...