Faculty Colloquium: Star Numbers

Dear Colleagues,

Please join us this Friday, January 29th at a special time, 4:10-5:10 in the Hatfield Room for our first Faculty Colloquium of this semester. Treats will be provided. josh-laison

Josh Laison, Associate Professor of Mathematics

Title: Star Numbers: From 17th-Century Oranges to Delivery Robots and Beyond

Abstract:

We will discuss a new variation of a 400-year-old problem from Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton about how densely geometric shapes can be packed together. Along the way we’ll encounter Amazon delivery robots, geometric networks, an iphone game, computers that prove theorems, 24-dimensional spheres, Tetris, cannonballs, and some exciting new theorems. No previous math or Tetris experience required. This research was done in collaboration with Andrew Bishop WU’14, Ben Gardiner WU’13, and David Livingston WU’15.

Please feel free to invite students to attend this talk.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Doreen Simonsen and Bobby Brewer-Wallin
Faculty Colloquium Coordinators