2025/2026 SEMINARS

FALL

WINTER

SPRING

Math 208 - Algebraic Geometry

Oprea, Dragos

Oprea, Dragos

Oprea, Dragos

Math 209 - Number Theory

Bucur, Alina

Bucur, Alina

Bucur, Alina

Math 211A - Algebra

Golsefidy, Alireza

Golsefidy, Alireza

Golsefidy, Alireza

Math 211B - Group Actions

Frisch, Joshua

Frisch, Joshua

Frisch, Joshua

Math 218 - Biological Systems

Miller, Pearson

Miller, Pearson

Miller, Pearson

Math 243 - Functional Analysis

Ganesan, Priyanga & Vigdorovich, Itamar

Ganesan, Priyanga & Vigdorovich, Itamar

Vigdorovich, Itamar

Math 248 - Real Analysis

Bejenaru, Ioan

Bejenaru, Ioan

Bejenaru, Ioan

Math 258 - Differential Geometry

Spolaor, Luca

Spolaor, Luca

Spolaor, Luca

Math 268 - Logic

TBD

TBD

TBD

Math 269 - Combinatorics

Rhoades, Brendon & Warnke, Lutz

Rhoades, Brendon & Warnke, Lutz

Rhoades, Brendon & Warnke, Lutz

Math 278A - CCoM

Cheng, Li-Tien

Cheng, Li-Tien

Cheng, Li-Tien

Math 278B - Math of Info, Data

Cloninger, Alexander

Cloninger, Alexander

Cloninger, Alexander

Math 278C - Optimization

Nie, Jiawang

Nie, Jiawang

Nie, Jiawang

Math 288A - Probability

Peca-Medlin, John

Peca-Medlin, John

Peca-Medlin, John

Math 288B - Statistics

TBD

TBD

TBD

Math 292 - Topology Seminar

Chow, Bennett

Chow, Bennett

Chow, Bennett

Tue, Jan 27 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Ning Tang - UC Berkeley
    Global asymptotics for the Schrödinger equation with variable coefficients

    Math 248: Real Analysis Seminar

    APM 5829

    In this talk, I will discuss a new physical-space approach to establishing the time decay and global asymptotics of solutions to variable-coefficient Schrödinger equation in (3+1)-dimensions. The result is applicable to possibly large, time-dependent, complex-valued coefficients under a general set of hypotheses. As an application, we are able to handle certain quasilinear cubic and Hartree-type nonlinearities, proving global existence together with global asymptotics. I will begin with a model problem and describe the construction of a good commutator. Time permitting, I will explain how to incorporate the good commutator with Ifrim--Tataru the method of testing by wave packets to obtain global asymptotics. This talk is based on upcoming work with Sung-Jin Oh and Federico Pasqualotto.

  • 11:00 am
    Ben Major - UCLA
    New Proofs of Indecomposability Results for Tracial von Neumann Algebras

    Math 243: Functional Analysis Seminar

    APM 6402

    We show that, for many choices of finite tuples of generators $\mathbf{X}=(x_1,\dots,x_d)$ of a tracial von Neumann algebra $(M,\tau)$ satisfying certain decomposition properties (non-primeness, possessing a Cartan subalgebra, or property $\Gamma$), one can find a diffuse, hyperfinite subalgebra in $W^*(\mathbf{X})^\omega$ (often in $W^*(\mathbf{X})$ itself), such that $W^*(N,\mathbf{X}+\sqrt{t}\mathbf{S})=W^*(N,\mathbf{X},\mathbf{S})$ for all $t>0$. (Here $\mathbf{S}$ is a free semicircular family, free from $\{\mathbf{X}\cup N\}$). This gives a short 'non-microstates' proof of strong 1-boundedness for such algebras.

    This is joint work with Dimitri Shlyakhtenko.

  • 2:00 pm
    Finn Southerland - UCSD
    Region counting on another level

    Math 269: Seminar in Combinatorics

    APM 7321

    The number of regions of a hyperplane arrangement is a well-understood invariant, which we can complicate by counting regions of a given \emph{level}, a statistic quantifying a region's boundedness. Rediscovering a formula of Zaslavsky, we show that the level distribution is a \emph{combinatorial invariant}, and in the process define it for all semimatroids. The formula also allows us to reprove and generalize many known results on deformations of the braid arrangement.

Thu, Jan 29 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Yujin Kim - Caltech
    Absolute continuity of non-Gaussian and Gaussian multiplicative chaos measures

    Math 288: Probability & Statistics

    APM 6402

    Gaussian multiplicative chaos (GMC) is a well-studied random measure appearing as a universal object in the study of Gaussian or approximately Gaussian log-correlated fields. On the other hand, no general framework exists for the study of multiplicative chaos associated to non-Gaussian log-correlated fields. In this talk, we examine a canonical model: the log-correlated random Fourier series, or random wave model, with i.i.d. random coefficients taken from a general class of distributions. The associated multiplicative chaos measure was shown to be non-degenerate when the inverse temperature is subcritical ($\gamma < \sqrt{2d}$) by Junnila. The resulting chaos is easily seen to not be a GMC in general, leaving open the question of what properties are shared between this non-Gaussian chaos and GMC. We answer this question through the lens of absolute continuity, showing that there exists a coupling between this chaos and a GMC such that the two are almost surely mutually absolutely continuous.

  • 1:00 pm
    Tiklung Chan - UCSD
    Tubey or not tubey?

    Food for Thought

    APM 7321

    That is the question. In this talk, I will describe several problems of varying degrees of “tubiness” (the amenability of the problem to tube technology).

  • 2:30 pm
    Prof. Dragos Oprea - UCSD
    Curves, abelian varieties and their moduli

    Math 296: Graduate Student Colloquium

    APM 6402

    Algebraic curves and abelian varieties play a central role in modern algebraic geometry, with links to complex analysis, number theory, topology and others. Curves and abelian varieties are closely related: a fundamental example of an abelian variety is the Jacobian of an algebraic curve. In this talk, I will give a discussion of curves, abelian varieties and their moduli spaces. Time permitting, I will present some new tools aimed at studying geometric classes on the moduli space of abelian varieties, and conclude with a discussion of several open questions in this area. 

  • 2:00 pm
    Prof. Pearson Miller - UCSD
    Optimal control of weakly nonlinear pattern formation

    Math 218: Seminars on Mathematics for Complex Biological Systems

    APM 7321

    This talk will present new results on the optimal control of self-organization, motivated by a growing body of empirical work on biological pattern formation in dynamic environments. We pose a boundary control problem for the classic supercritical Turing pattern, asking the best way to reach a non-trivial steady state by controlling the boundary flux of a reactant species. Via the Pontryagin approach, first-order optimality conditions for a generic reaction-diffusion system with a suitable bifurcation structure are derived. Using formal asymptotics, we construct approximate closed-form optimal solutions in feedback law form that are valid for any Turing-unstable system near criticality, which are verified against numerical solutions for a representative reaction-diffusion model.

Fri, Jan 30 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Yifan Chen - UCLA
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402

Mon, Feb 2 2026
  • 2:00 pm
    Casey Perdue
    TBD

    Advancement to Candidacy

    APM 5829

Wed, Feb 4 2026
  • 4:00 pm
    Govind Menon - Brown University
    Towards a geometric theory of deep learning

    Department of Mathematics Colloquim

    APM 6402

    The mathematical core of deep learning is function approximation by neural networks trained on data using stochastic gradient descent. I will explain an emerging geometric framework for the analysis of this process. This includes a collection of rigorous results on training dynamics for the deep linear network (DLN) as well as general principles for arbitrary neural networks. The mathematics ranges over a surprisingly broad range, including geometric invariant theory, random matrix theory, and minimal surfaces. However, little background in these areas will be assumed and the talk will be accessible to a broad audience. The talk is based on joint work with several co-authors: Yotam Alexander, Nadav Cohen (Tel Aviv), Kathryn Lindsey (Boston College), Alan Chen, Zsolt Veraszto and Tianmin Yu (Brown).

Fri, Feb 6 2026
  • 11:00 am
    TBD
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402

Tue, Feb 10 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Paolo Leonetti - Università degli Studi dell'Insubria
    TBA

    Math 243: Functional Analysis Seminar

    APM 6402

Thu, Feb 12 2026
  • 4:00 pm
    Dave Penneys - Ohio State University
    TBA

    Math 295: Colloquium Seminar

    APM 6402

    TBA

Fri, Feb 13 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Thomas Madden - UCSD
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402

Tue, Feb 17 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Bill Helton - UCSD
    TBA

    Math 243: Functional Analysis Seminar

    APM 6402

Fri, Feb 20 2026
  • 11:00 am
    TBD
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402

Tue, Feb 24 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Matt Kennedy - University of Waterloo
    TBA

    Math 243: Functional Analysis Seminar

    APM 6402

Fri, Feb 27 2026
  • 11:00 am
    TBD
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402

Tue, Mar 3 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Linfeng - UCSD
    TBA

    Math 243: Functional Analysis Seminar

    APM 6402

  • 11:00 am
    Chris Deotte - NVIDIA
    Using AI Tools Like ChatGPT to Write Code and Do Mathematics

    Center for Computational Mathematics Seminar

    APM 2402 & Zoom ID 987 4413 1109

    In this talk, we explore how data scientists in industry are using modern AI tools such as ChatGPT to write code and perform mathematical reasoning. Chris Deotte is a Senior Data Scientist at NVIDIA, a seven-time Kaggle Grandmaster, and holds a PhD in mathematics.

    In recent years, data scientists and mathematicians have increasingly shifted from writing all code and derivations by hand to collaborating with AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. These tools are now capable of generating high-quality code, solving mathematical problems, and accelerating research and development workflows.

    We will examine concrete examples of how these AI tools perform on real-world coding and mathematical tasks. In particular, we will demonstrate how ChatGPT recently wrote over 99% of the code for a gold-medal-winning solution in an online competition focused on predicting mouse behavior from keypoint time-series data.

Fri, Mar 6 2026
  • 11:00 am
    TBD
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402

Tue, Mar 10 2026
  • 11:00 am
    Hui Tan, Changying Ding - UCLA
    TBA

    Math 243: Functional Analysis Seminar

    APM 6402

Fri, Mar 13 2026
  • 11:00 am
    TBD
    TBD

    Math 278B: Mathematics of Information, Data, and Signals

    APM 6402