Termcard for Trinity Term 2015

Maths, Music, AND Maiolica: Alfred Pringsheim (1850-1941)

Week 1, Tuesday 28 April TT 2015
8:15pm
L2, Mathematical Institute

Every mathematics student is likely to encounter some of Pringsheim’s ideas, even if they do not recognise his name. This is the story of the mathematician who took part in a duel – and survived; who inherited a large fortune, and lost it; a fine pianist who knew and championed Wagner, publishing arrangements of Wagner’s music for smaller ensembles; who inspired characters in two novels by a Nobel prizewinner; and who, as an octogenarian, found his life turned upside down by the Nazi regime in Germany.

Finding a rational point on the elliptic curve y²=x³+7823

Week 2, Tuesday 5 May TT 2015
8:15pm
L2, Mathematical Institute

An elliptic curve E can be thought of as a smooth curve of the form y²=x³+Ax+B, together with a special point O ‘at infinity’. Suppose we fix integers A,B. The set of solutions in rational numbers to this equation, together with O, has the structure of an abelian group, and understanding this group E(Q) has led to many interesting developments in number theory.

Manifolds

Week 3, Tuesday 12 May TT 2015
8:15pm
L2, Mathematical Institute

Manifolds (spaces that look locally like ℝⁿ) are the basic objects of study in topology. In this talk I will describe what is known about their classification. I will mention the different versions of the Poincare conjecture, and also strange phenomena that appear in high dimensions: exotic smooth structures on the same manifold, and manifolds that cannot be triangulated.

The Mathematics of Lending

Week 4, Tuesday 19 May TT 2015
8:15pm
L2, Mathematical Institute

Crowd Funding is a boom area, and one that broadly splits into three sections – projects that ask for donations in return for some kind of reward (T-shirts are popular), startups that ask for funding in exchange for a claim on future profits (share issues), and companies that borrow money for interest (loan funding).

Trinity 2015 Social

Week 5, Tuesday 26 May TT 2015
8:15pm
L2, Mathematical Institute

We’re running a social at the usual time on Tuesday in the Mathematical Institute to give everyone a chance to relax and have fun before, during or after exams (for the lucky few who are already done!). We’ll be in the common room so come along for snacks and pizza. Entrance is free for members or £3 for non-members. And don’t forget that lifetime memberships can be bought on the door for just £15!

Annual General Meeting (Constitutional Reform)

Week 6, Monday 1 June TT 2015
8:00pm
L2, Mathematical Institute

We will be holding a vote on our new constitution. Most of the changes are purely cosmetic, so that the constitution follows the guidelines set out by the proctors. We understand that many of you are busy with exams and revision so we’ll try to keep this meeting short and functional. That said, it is important that we bring our constitution in line with the new guidelines so we’d really appreciate it if you could come along briefly to vote. The latest draft of the new constitution, as well as the old one for comparison, are below.