Department of Mathematics and Statistics
UMKC (University of Missouri - Kansas City)

Expository Talks Series, and
Video/Film Series

Semester: Spring 2008 - 21st Year
Location: Haag Hall, Room 309 (unless otherwise indicated below)
Day & Time: Friday, 4-4:50 pm (talks), 4-5:00 pm (videos)
Campus Map for Talks (PDF Format)

Contact: Richard Delaware, delawarer@umkc.edu


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Dates, Titles, Speakers (with Abstracts & Posters as available)


  • Friday Feb. 8--Held this week in Haag Hall 307--
    Expository Talks Series
    Sequence Acceleration and Fourier Series
    Chuck Moore, Mathematics, Kansas State University

    [CLICK on poster image to download poster. Pass it on!]
    [Campus Map for Talks (PDF Format)]

    Numerous transformations have been developed to speed the rate of convergence of convergent sequences and series. These transformations are usually easy to apply and lessen the number of steps required in approximation problems. Fourier series provide a way to approximate functions, so it is natural to examine how these acceleration transformations behave when applied to Fourier series. In other words, is it possible to speed the convergence of Fourier series? We will discuss many of these ideas both theoretically and using results from computer experiments.

    This talk is based on research done by the speaker with several undergraduate students during a summer REU (research experience for undergraduates) held at Kansas State University. Consequently, this talk should be accessible to undergraduates in mathematics, and the necessary background will be discussed.

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  • Friday Feb. 22
    Expository Talks Series
    Linear Difference Equations
    Hristo Voulov, Mathematics, UMKC

    [CLICK on poster image to download poster. Pass it on!]
    [Campus Map for Talks (PDF Format)]

    Linear difference equations are discrete analogs of ordinary differential equations.
    During this talk you will quickly learn (or recall) how to solve linear difference equations with constant coefficients. Then, we will discuss the fundamental concepts of stability and asymptotic stability of equilibriums as well as the local linearization of nonlinear equations.
    The talk will be accessible to undergraduate students.

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  • Friday Mar. 7
    Expository Talks Series
    Using Diagrams to Study Linear Maps (and to Model the Universe)
    Tristan Londre, Mathematics, Metropolitan Community College - Blue River, Independence campus


    [CLICK on poster image to download poster. Pass it on!]
    [Campus Map for Talks (PDF Format)]

    A diagram method for working with linear maps was created by researchers in category theory. This method has direct ties to Feynman diagrams and the spin networks of Roger Penrose. Some basics of this diagram method will be covered, and a diagrammatic proof of the cyclic property of the trace will be given.

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  • Friday April 4
    Expository Talks Series
    Robustifying the Spectral Envelope Through Filter-Cleaners
    Mark Gamalo, Mathematics and Statistics, UMKC


    [CLICK on poster image to download poster. Pass it on!]
    [Campus Map for Talks (PDF Format)]

    In many applications, time series are collected with the interest of knowing whether signals are approximately the same without having to make restrictive assumptions. One way of determining this is whether any - and how many - have common cyclic components. This can be accomplished through the spectral envelope which is a principal components based approach based on the spectral matrix. Consequently, its accuracy is contingent upon the correct estimate of this matrix. However, this quantity can be severely biased and oscillatory in the presence of outliers; thus suggesting a need for a robust estimation procedure for the said technique. In this talk, I will derive the spectral envelope as well as derive a filter-cleaner procedure based on the scaled-normal model to weed out outliers in the data.

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  • Friday Apr. 25
    Expository Talks Series
    Two (yes two!) Short Talks by Students from Mathematics
    [Please come and support our students.]


    [CLICK on poster image to download poster. Pass it on!]
    [Campus Map for Talks (PDF Format)]

    (1) Abraham De Moivre's 1718 solution to a
    Gambler's Ruin Problem

    Tracey Davidson, Mathematics Student, UMKC
    [Math 464 WI, History of Mathematics]


    (2) Leonhard Euler's 1734 and 1743 Proofs that:
    The Infinite Series with terms 1/k2 sums to (pi)2/6

    Vivian Bozikis, Mathematics and Secondary Education Student, UMKC,
    [Math 464 WI, History of Mathematics]

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