Three Minute Thesis Competition

The Oxford SIAM-IMA Student Chapter and Fridays@4 are excited to announce sign-ups for the Three Minute Thesis Competition are open.

Tue, 26 May 2026

12:00 - 13:00
C5

Understanding and mitigating the bias of Diffusion Posterior Sampling algorithm

Dr. Matias Delgadino
(University of Texas at Austin)
Abstract
We identify the bias in the Diffusion Posterior Sampling algorithm by the use of the classical Feynman-Kac formula. This analysis, the first of its kind, allows us to understand correction/improvements to the algorithm from first principles. We show how STSL, a better performing variant of DPS, can be derived from first principles using this analysis.


 

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Wed, 17 Jun 2026
14:00
N3.12

Mathematrix: End of term crafts

Abstract

Take a break at the end of term with some Mathematrix crafts and sweet treats! Supplies for watercolor and origami will be provided, and you are welcome to bring your own crafts. 

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Tue, 12 May 2026
12:00
N3.12

Mathematrix: International Women in Mathematics Day

Abstract

Everyone is invited to celebrate International Women in Mathematics Day with a pizza lunch! We will be watching ‘Journeys of Women in Mathematics’, a powerful 20-minute film by the International Mathematical Union showcasing the experiences of women mathematicians worldwide. It follows three mathematicians from India, Cameroon, and Brazil from their home institutions to the (WM)² international meeting, showing their research and what it’s like to be part of the global maths community.

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Survival and invasion dynamics in cell populations: an analytical framework for threshold behaviour in nonlinear age-structured models
 Abo, S Baker, R SIAM Journal on Life Sciences
Wed, 06 May 2026

16:00 - 17:00
L6

Algorithmic characterizations of hyperbolicity via quasigeodesics

Arya Saranathan
(Mathematical Institute University of Oxford)
Abstract

Gromov-hyperbolic groups are classically defined geometrically, by the negative curvature of their Cayley graphs. Interestingly, an algorithmic characterization of hyperbolicity is possible in terms of properties of the formal languages of quasigeodesics (geodesics up to bounded error) in their Cayley graphs. Holt and Rees proved, roughly speaking, that these formal languages are regular in the case of hyperbolic groups. More recently Hughes, Nairne, and Spriano established the converse. In this talk, I will discuss progress towards a conjectured strengthening of the result, where we consider context-free quasigeodesic languages. This is based on my summer project, supervised by Joseph MacManus and Davide Sprianoc

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Wed, 03 Jun 2026
15:00
C6

Decombinatorialisation

Heath Pearson
(Nottingham)
Abstract
This is a case study in approaching algebraic-geometric questions by first solving them in a combinatorially tractable class, and then generalising the findings through a sequence of increasingly general classes. The end goal is a proof of the general case. We call this process a ``decombinatorialisation''.
 
Executing such a process remains a lofty goal, and here we present only the first steps of what could be considered a decombinatorialisation. In this talk, we explore the Mukai conjecture on the characterisation of powers of projective spaces among Fano varieties. We will see how over time, generalisations of its proof in the case of toric Fano varieties have emerged.
 
In this setting we will explore two possible decombinatorialisations: via the class of spherical Fano varieties, and via a class of Fanos embedded into toric varieties via the Cox ring.
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