Thu, 16 Jun 2016
17:30
L6

Pseudofinite dimensions and simplicity

Dario Garcia
(Leeds)
Abstract

The concept of pseudofinite dimension for ultraproducts of finite structures was introduced by Hrushovski and Wagner. In this talk, I will present joint work with D. Macpherson and C. Steinhorn in which we explored conditions on the (fine) pseudofinite dimension that guarantee simplicity or supersimplicity of the underlying theory of an ultraproduct of finite structures, as well as a characterization of forking in terms of droping of the pseudofinite dimension. Also, under a suitable assumption, it can be shown that a measure-theoretic condition is equivalent to loc

Thu, 16 Jun 2016
16:00
L6

Gaps Between Smooth Numbers

Roger Heath-Brown
(Oxford University)
Abstract

Let $a_1, \cdots, a_N$ be the sequence of y-smooth numbers up to x (i.e. composed only of primes up to y). When y is a small power of x, what can one say about the size of the gaps $a_{j+1}-a_j$? In particular, what about

$$\sum_1^N (a_{j+1}-a_j)^2?$$

Thu, 16 Jun 2016

16:00 - 17:30
L5

Mathematical Aspects of Systemic Risk

Hans Föllmer
(Humboldt Universität zu Berlin)
Abstract

We focus on the mathematical structure of systemic risk measures as proposed by Chen, Iyengar, and Moallemi (2013). In order to clarify the interplay between local and global risk assessment, we study the local specification of a systemic risk measure by a consistent family of conditional risk measures for smaller subsystems, and we discuss the appearance of phase transitions at the global level. This extends the analysis of spatial risk measures in Föllmer and Klϋppelberg (2015).

Thu, 16 Jun 2016

16:00 - 17:00
L3

Sensing human behaviour with online data

Suzy Moat
(Warwick)
Abstract

Our everyday usage of the Internet generates huge amounts of data on how humans collect and exchange information worldwide. In this talk, I will outline recent work in which we investigate whether data from sources such as Google, Wikipedia and Flickr can be used to gain new insight into real world human behaviour. I will provide case studies from a range of domains, including disease detection, crowd size estimation, and evaluating whether the beauty of the environment we live in might affect our health.

Thu, 16 Jun 2016

14:00 - 15:00
L5

Input-independent, optimal interpolatory model reduction: Moving from linear to nonlinear dynamics

Prof. Serkan Gugercin
(Virginia Tech)
Abstract

For linear dynamical systems, model reduction has achieved great success. In the case of linear dynamics,  we know how to construct, at a modest cost, (locally) optimalinput-independent reduced models; that is, reduced models that are uniformly good over all inputs having bounded energy. In addition, in some cases we can achieve this goal using only input/output data without a priori knowledge of internal  dynamics.  Even though model reduction has been successfully and effectively applied to nonlinear dynamical systems as well, in this setting,  bot the reduction process and the reduced models are input dependent and the high fidelity of the resulting approximation is generically restricted to the training input/data. In this talk, we will offer remedies to this situation.

 
First, we will  review  model reduction for linear systems by using rational interpolation as the underlying framework. The concept of transfer function will prove fundamental in this setting. Then, we will show how rational interpolation and transfer function concepts can be extended to nonlinear dynamics, specifically to bilinear systems and quadratic-in-state systems, allowing us to construct input-independent reduced models in this setting as well. Several numerical examples will be illustrated to support the discussion.
Thu, 16 Jun 2016
12:00
L6

Minimal hypersurfaces with bounded index

Ben Sharp
(University of Pisa)
Abstract
An embedded hypersurface in a Riemannian manifold is said to be minimal if it is a critical point with respect to the induced area. The index of a minimal hypersurface (roughly speaking) tells us how many ways one can locally deform the surface to decrease area (so that strict local area-minimisers have index zero). We will give an overview of recent works linking the index, topology and geometry of closed and embedded minimal hypersurfaces. The talk will involve separate joint works with Reto Buzano, Lucas Ambrozio and Alessandro Carlotto. 
Thu, 16 Jun 2016

11:00 - 15:45
C3

'Around quantum j-mappings (model theory and sheaves)'.

Andres Villaveces
(Bogota)
Abstract
Abstract: finding a "non-commutative limit" of the j-invariant (to real numbers, in a way that captures reasonably well the connection with extensions of number fields) has prompted several approaches (Manin-Marcolli, Castaño-Gendron). I will describe one of these approaches in a brief way, and I will make some connections to the model theory of sheaves.
Wed, 15 Jun 2016

11:30 - 12:30
N3.12

2x2 Matrices

Giles Gardam
(Oxford)
Abstract

We will explore the many guises under which groups of 2x2 matrices appear, such as isometries of the hyperbolic plane, mapping class groups and the modular group. Along the way we will learn some interesting and perhaps surprising facts.

Tue, 14 Jun 2016
16:30
L6

Counting Designs

Peter Keevash
(Oxford)
Abstract

A Steiner Triple System on a set X is a collection T of 3-element subsets of X such that every pair of elements of X is contained in exactly one of the triples in T. An example considered by Plücker in 1835 is the affine plane of order three, which consists of 12 triples on a set of 9 points. Plücker observed that a necessary condition for the existence of a Steiner Triple System on a set with n elements is that n be congruent to 1 or 3 mod 6. In 1846, Kirkman showed that this necessary condition is also sufficient. In 1974, Wilson conjectured an approximate formula for the number of such systems. We will outline a proof of this
conjecture, and a more general estimate for the number of Steiner systems. Our main tool is the technique of Randomised Algebraic Construction, which
we introduced to resolve a question of Steiner from 1853 on the existence of designs.

Tue, 14 Jun 2016

15:45 - 16:45
L4

Symplectic homology for cobordisms

Alexandru Oancea
(Jussieu)
Abstract

I will present a definition of symplectic homology groups for pairs of Liouville cobordisms with fillings, and explain how these fit into a formalism of homology theory similar to that of Eilenberg and Steenrod. This construction allows to understand form a unified point of view many structural results involving Floer homology groups, and yields new applications. Joint work with Kai Cieliebak.

Tue, 14 Jun 2016
15:00
L5

Exchanging a key: how hard can it be?

Cas Cremers
(University of Oxford)
Abstract
During the last thirty years, there have been many advances in the development of protocols for
authenticated key exchange. Although signature-based variants of Diffie-Hellman have been
known since the start of this development, dozens of new (two message) protocols are still proposed each
year. In this talk, we present some of the recent history of security definitions for Authenticated Key
Exchange, their many relatives, and discuss strengths and weaknesses. We motivate why there
has been little convergence in terms of protocols or security definitions. I will also present some of our 
recent work in this domain, including new stronger security definitions, and how to achieve them.
Tue, 14 Jun 2016
14:30
L6

Limits of Some Combinatorial Problems

Endre Csóka
(Budapest)
Abstract

We purify and generalize some techniques which were successful in the limit theory of graphs and other discrete structures. We demonstrate how this technique can be used for solving different combinatorial problems, by defining the limit problems of the Manickam--Miklós--Singhi Conjecture, the Kikuta–Ruckle Conjecture and Alpern's Caching Game.

Mon, 13 Jun 2016

16:00 - 17:00
L4

Enhancement of propagation in reaction-diffusion equations by a line of fast diffusion

Laurent Dietrich
(OxPDE, University of Oxford)
Abstract

we study a new mechanism of reaction-diffusion involving a line with fast diffusion, proposed to model the influence of transportation networks on biological invasions. 
We will be interested in the existence and uniqueness of traveling waves solutions, and especially focus on their velocity. We will show that it grows as the square root of the diffusivity on the line, generalizing and showing the robustness of a result by Berestycki, Roquejoffre and Rossi (2013), and provide a characterization of the growth ratio thanks to an hypoelliptic (a priori) degenerate system. 
Finally we will take a look at the dynamics and show that the waves attract a large class of initial data. In particular, we will shed light on a new mechanism of attraction which enables the waves to attract initial data with size independent of the diffusion on the line : this is a new result, in the sense than usually, enhancement of propagation has to be paid by strengthening the assumptions on the size of the initial data for invasion to happen.

Mon, 13 Jun 2016

15:45 - 16:45
C6

Homogenization for families of skew products

ALEXEY KOREPANOV
(Warwick University)
Abstract

 

We consider families of fast-slow skew product maps of the form \begin{align*}x_{n+1}   = x_n+\eps^2 a_\eps(x_n,y_n)+\eps b_\eps(x_n)v_\eps(y_n), \quad

y_{n+1}   = T_\eps y_n, \end{align*} where $T_\eps$ is a family of nonuniformly expanding maps, $v_\eps$ is of mean zero and the slow variables $x_n$ lie in $\R^d$.  Under an exactness assumption on $b_\eps$ (automatically satisfied in the cases $d=1$ and $b_\eps\equiv I_d$), we prove convergence of the slow variables to a limiting stochastic differential equation (SDE) as $\eps\to0$.   Our results include cases where the family of fast dynamical systems

$T_\eps$ consists of intermittent maps, unimodal maps (along the Collet-Eckmann parameters) and Viana maps.Similar results are obtained also for continuous time systems  \begin{align*} \dot x   =  \eps^2 a_\eps(x,y,\eps)+\eps b_\eps(x)v_\eps(y), \quad \dot y   =  g_\eps(y). \end{align*}

Here, as in classical Wong-Zakai approximation, the limiting SDE is of Stratonovich type $dX=\bar a(X)\,dt+b_0(X)\circ\,dW$ where $\bar a$ is the average of $a_0$

and $W$ is a $d$-dimensional Brownian motion.

 

Mon, 13 Jun 2016

15:45 - 16:45
L6

On groups with quadratic Dehn functions

Mark Sapir
(Vanderbilt University)
Abstract

I am going to discuss Rips' conjecture that all finitely presented groups with quadratic Dehn functions have decidable conjugacy problem.

This is a joint work with A.Yu. Olshanskii.
 

Mon, 13 Jun 2016

14:15 - 15:15
C6

Asymptotic of planar Yang-Mills fields

ANTOINE DAHLQVIST
(University of Cambridge)
Abstract

This talk will be about  Lévy processes on compact groups - discrete or continuous - and  two-dimensional analogues called pure Yang-Mills fields. The latter are indexed by  reduced loops of finite length in the plane and satisfy properties analogue to independence and stationarity of increments.     There is a one-to-one correspondance between Lévy processes invariant by adjunction and pure Yang-Mills fields. For Brownian motions, Yang-Mills fields stand for a rigorous version of the Euclidean Yang-Mills measure in two dimension.  I shall first sketch this correspondance for  Lévy processes with large jumps. Then, I will discuss two applications of an extension theorem, due to Thierry Lévy, similar to Kolmogorov extension theorem. On the one hand, it allows to construct pure Yang-Mills fields for any invariant Lévy process. On the other hand, when the group acts on vector spaces of large dimension, this theorem also allows to study the asymptotic behavior  of traces. The limiting objects yield a natural family of states on the group algebra of reduced loops.  We characterize among them the master field defined by Thierry Lévy by a continuity property.   This is  a joint work with Guillaume Cébron and Franck Gabriel.

Fri, 10 Jun 2016

16:00 - 17:00
L1

Owning a successful DPhil

Abstract
Wondering about how to organise your DPhil? How to make the most of your supervision meetings?

In this session we will explore these and other questions related to what makes a successful DPhil with help from faculty members, postdocs and DPhil students.

In the first half of the session Helen Byrne and Roger Heath-Brown will give short talks on their experiences as PhD students and supervisors. 

The second part of the session will be a panel discussion, and the panel will consist of Emily Cliff, Benjamin Green, Paul Taylor and Andrew Thompson. Senior faculty members will be kindly asked to leave the lecture theatre - to ensure that students feel comfortable with discussing their experiences with later year students and postdocs/research fellows without any senior faculty present.
 
At 5pm senior and junior faculty members, postdocs and students will reunite in the common room for the happy hour.

About the speakers and panel members:
Helen Byrne received her DPhil from Oxford under the supervision of John Norbury. She was a Professor of Applied Mathematics in Nottingham from 2003 to 2011, when she moved to Oxford where she is a Professor in Mathematical Biology.
Professor Helen Byrne
 
Roger Heath-Brown received his PhD from Cambridge under the supervision of Alan Baker. He moved to Oxford in 1979, where he has been a Professor of Pure Mathematics since 1999.
Roger Heath-Brown
 
Emily Cliff received her DPhil from Oxford in 2015 under the supervision of Kobi Kremnitzer, and she is now a postdoc in the Geometry and Representation Theory group.
No image
 
Benjamin Green and Paul Taylor are both fourth year DPhil students; Benjamin Green is a member of the Number Theory group,
No image
while Paul Taylor is in the Mathematical Biology group.
No image
 
Andrew Thompson received his PhD from the University of Edinburgh in 2012 under the supervision of Coralia Cartis and Jared Tanner, and he has been a Lecturer in Computational Mathematics at Oxford since 2014.
No image
 
Fri, 10 Jun 2016

13:00 - 14:30
L6

Time Inconsistency, Self Control and Portfolio Choice

Xunyu Zhou
(Mathematical Insitute, Oxford)
Abstract

Time inconsistency arises when one's preferences are not aligned
over time; thus time-inconsistent dynamic control is essentially
a self control problem. In this talk I will introduce several classes of time-inconsistent
dynamic optimisation problems together with their economic
motivations, and highlight the ways to address the time inconsistency.
I will then provide a solution to a continuous-time portfolio choice
model under the rank-dependent utility which is inherently time inconsistent.