Mathematics Colloquium - Rob Scharein

Speaker: 
Rob Scharein, Hypnagogic Software
Topic: 
Computational Knot Theory using KnotPlot

Abstract:

This talk will cover a number of problems in computational knot theory that can studied using the speaker’s own software KnotPlot.  Applications to the unknotting problem (given a diagram of a knot, determine whether it is knotted), minimal stick number (what is the fewest number of edges in a polygon that can produce a representative of a given knot type) and to the tangling of polymers (in particular DNA) will be surveyed.  The presentation will be entirely live, the actual simulations will be shown.

KnotPlot owes its origin to pioneering work done by people in the Mathematics Department at the University of Iowa and the speaker acknowledges much fruitful collaboration and support over more than two decades. As an ever evolving piece of work, it has gone in several directions not directly related to the original application.  Be prepared to be surprised!

Event Date: 
November 3, 2016 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm
Location: 
213 MLH
Calendar Category: 
Colloquium