| April
18, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM OW 222 |
Dr. Peter Overholser, Dept. of Mathematics, OIT | Curves, blocks,
chains, and coins. Following Satoshi’s white paper and the introduction of Bitcoin, the notion of blockchains has spread from online forums for card game enthusiasts to the corporate boardrooms of IBM and Accenture. Regardless of the monetary values of the miscellaneous cryptocurrencies, the idea seems to be with us to stay (for better or worse). We will discuss the motivation for its introduction, some of the beautiful mathematics that it relies upon, structure, applications, and possibly the rough idea of a novel protocol. |
| May 9, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM OW 222 |
Dr.
Matthew Sleep, Dept. of Civil Engineering, OIT |
The
use of probability and statistics in geotechnical
engineering - A case study on the Whittier Narrows Dam
Geotechnical engineering is considered a sub-discipline of civil engineering that involves structures built ‘on and of the earth.’ When using natural materials for construction, such as soil and rock, the variability of the properties of those materials impacts design. Traditionally this has been accounted for by using relatively large factors of safety for design. In addition to the factor of safety many engineers also calculate the probability of failure. This talk will describe the second most common failure mechanism of dams, seepage and erosion, and discuss how the probability of failure can be calculated for such mechanisms. The results of a study on the potential for erosion and piping for Whittier Narrows Dam will be presented. Whittier Narrows Dam is a high hazard dam located in Los Angeles, CA. |
May 23, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM OW 222 |
Mr. Reid Anderson, Senior Mathematics Major, OIT | Mathematical
Ears! The inner ear (cochlea) is a wonderfully complicated organ, which has been researched for years. Mathematicians have strived to create the most accurate model of the inner ear in order to better create hearing technologies. In this presentation we will explore some of the well-known models and experimental factors for the inner ear. |
| June 6, 2019 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM OW 222 |
Dr.
David Brookes, Dept. of Physics, California State University,
Chico, CA |
Dabbling in the “dark
arts:” A physicist does education statistics As a mixed methods physics education researcher, I have struggled for many years to understand how to use statistics effectively and appropriately in my research. If you have heard about “p-hacking” and the “reproducibility crisis” in psychology you might be forgiven for agreeing with phrase popularized by Mark Twain that "…there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." In this talk I will share some of my experiences making sense of different methods of statistical analysis in education research, when it is appropriate to use them; and try to dispel some of the misconceptions that are associated with statistics. Using examples, including some from my own research, I will discuss aspects of research design and the sorts of inferences one can make from the results of education experiments. |