Undergraduate Colloquium Fall 2012
Wednesdays at 5pm in McHenry Building - Room 4130
Refreshments served in Room 4161 at 4:45pm
For further information, please contact Frank Bauerle, bauerle@ucsc.edu
October 10, 2012
Games Night
Frank Bauerle, Lecturer, UCSC Department of Mathematics
Games nights are an informal get-together of people interested in playing and learning about games with depth that will happen occasionally during the year. Each night will feature a new game or a collection of games. Games can be 100% strategic (such as "Hex"), involve chance and probability (such as "The game of Pigs") or require a certain amount of games psychology (such as "For Sale"). The most interesting games usually combine some or all of the above. Some games are two-player games (such as "Quoridor") and some will be multi-player such as ("Ricochet Robots" or "Pit"). We will have fun learning and playing the games but also spend some time discussing the mathematical content of these games. Everybody is invited. Bring a friend! No prior experience or exposure to any of these games is necessary.
October 17, 2012
Math and Music
Cameron Franc, Post Doctoral Scholar, UCSC Mathematics Department
In this talk we will discuss some connections between mathematics and music. We'll begin by recalling some facts about the human perception of sound. We will next give a mathematical explanation for why there are twelve notes in an octave in the western musical tradition. After defining the 24 major and minor triads, and will recall some material on group actions. We will then describe how the dihedral group of order 24 acts on the major and minor triads in two different and musically interesting ways. We will end our discussion by explaining how these group actions are dual in a precise mathematical sense. We will not assume any musical knowledge. We will begin from basic physical principals and explain all musical ideas and terms discussed in the talk. We will assume a slight familiarity with group theory.
October 24, 2012
Games Night
Frank Bauerle, Mathematics Department
Games nights are an informal get-together of people interested in playing and learning about games with depth that will happen occasionally during the year. Each night will feature a new game or a collection of games. Games can be 100% strategic (such as "Hex"), involve chance and probability (such as "The game of Pigs") or require a certain amount of games psychology (such as "For Sale"). The most interesting games usually combine some or all of the above. Some games are two-player games (such as "Quoridor") and some will be multi-player such as ("Ricochet Robots" or "Pit"). We will have fun learning and playing the games but also spend some time discussing the mathematical content of these games. Everybody is invited. Bring a friend! No prior experience or exposure to any of these games is necessary.
October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween
There will be no Colloquium this week -- Happy Halloween
November 7, 2012
Cal Teach and the Math Major -- with Pizza!
Presented by Gretchen Andreasen, Cal Teach Director
Do you have an interest in teaching as a career? If so, come find out how the Cal Teach program can help you explore teaching as a career, while at the same time satisfying some of your degree requirements. Cal Teach offers internships, advising, professional development, and teaching resources for math, science, and engineering majors who are interested in teaching at the middle or high school levels. All aspects of the program will be discussed, as well as how the Cal Teach internships can satisfy math degree requirements or education minor requirements (including the new STEM education minor). We'll have pizza for students who attend.
November 14, 2012
Games Night
Frank Bauerle, Lecturer
UCSC Department of Mathematics
Games nights are an informal get-together of people interested in playing and learning about games with depth that will happen occasionally during the year. Each night will feature a new game or a collection of games. Games can be 100% strategic (such as "Hex"), involve chance and probability (such as "The game of Pigs") or require a certain amount of games psychology (such as "For Sale"). The most interesting games usually combine some or all of the above. Some games are two-player games (such as "Quoridor") and some will be multi-player such as ("Ricochet Robots" or "Pit"). We will have fun learning and playing the games but also spend some time discussing the mathematical content of these games. Everybody is invited. Bring a friend!
No prior experience or exposure to any of these games is necessary This week we will be focusing on chance based games such as the game of pigs, a game of dice, based primarily on probability but also strategy (to maximize winning chances).
Towards the end of the session we will play a tournament with the game of pigs. There will be a prize for the one that finds the right balance between luck and strategy!
November 21, 2012
No Colloquium - Happy Holidays!!
November 29, 2012 ** Please note this sis a Thursday!**
Programs Abroad Opportunities for Science and Mathematics Majors
Emily Seliha, Programs Abroad Advisor, UCSC International Education Office
Ever consider studying abroad? Curious about what this will mean for your studies or your bank balance? At this week's colloquium we will be discussing the opportunities and options for math and other science majors to study abroad. Some recent Education Abroad Program (EAP) participants and the lead Programs Abroad Advisor from the UCSC International Education Office will offer advice on program and course selection. Some Mathematics Department Faculty and graduate students will also share their views and personal experiences.
December 5, 2012
Games Night
Frank Bauerle, Department of Mathematics
Games nights are an informal get-together of people interested in playing and learning about games with depth that will happen occasionally during the year. Each night will feature a new game or a collection of games. Games can be 100% strategic (such as "Hex"), involve chance and probability (such as "The game of Pigs") or require a certain amount of games psychology (such as "For Sale"). The most interesting games usually combine some or all of the above. Some games are two-player games (such as "Quoridor") and some will be multi-player such as ("Ricochet Robots" or "Pit"). We will have fun learning and playing the games but also spend some time discussing the mathematical content of these games. Everybody is invited. Bring a friend!
No prior experience or exposure to any of these games is necessary.
This week we will be focusing on connection games such as Hex and Twixt. We will also solve some puzzles based on Twixt.
