Extended Regge Complex for Linearized Riemann-Cartan Geometry and Cohomology
 Christiansen, S Hu, K Lin, T Foundations of Computational Mathematics 1-33 (17 Feb 2026)
Randomized Strong Recursive Skeletonization: Simultaneous Compression and LU Factorization of Hierarchical Matrices using Matrix–Vector Products
 Yesypenko, A Martinsson, P Journal of Scientific Computing volume 106 issue 3 63 (26 Mar 2026)
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Computers, Geometry and Einstein

Computers have long been useful for studying mathematical problems. But recently computer techniques have been used to prove new theorems in geometry, specifically related to the study of gravity through Einstein's theory of General Relativity. This Oxford Mathematics Public Lecture will describe these developments and what they might mean for the future.
Collective dynamics on higher-order networks
 Battiston, F Bick, C Lucas, M Millán, A Skardal, P Zhang, Y Nature Reviews Physics 1-14 (16 Feb 2026)
Fri, 06 Mar 2026
13:15
L6

Geometric and topological potentials driving self-assembly

Ivan Spirandelli
(University of Potsdam)
Abstract
The assembly of molecular building blocks into functional complexes is a central theme in biology and materials science. In this talk, we showcase the generative and thermodynamically predictive capabilities of a geometric model, the morphometric approach to solvation free energy, applied to spherical particles, tubes, and protein subunits. We demonstrate that this purely geometric description is sufficient to generate biologically relevant structural motifs and identify native nucleation states in simulation.
 
However, relying solely on local geometric fit often leads to optimization challenges. Molecular simulations frequently become trapped in local minima because the model lacks global structural information. To address this, we introduce a global bias based on persistent homology. By incorporating a weighted sum of total persistence as an active potential, we obtain an efficient simulation strategy, significantly increasing success rates. Integrating topological descriptions into energy functions offers a general strategy for overcoming kinetic barriers in molecular simulations, with potential applications in drug design, material development, and the study of complex self-assembly processes.

Play cricket?

Oxford University Club Cricket Club (OUCCC) is a friendly and inclusive cricket club for Oxford University staff, graduate students, and alumni, and we’d love to welcome new players this season. We play relaxed 40-over fixtures almost every Sunday from April to September, take a break in July for our popular mini T20 World Cup, and run weekly outdoor nets from February onwards (weather permitting). Players of all abilities are very welcome.

Calving laws and where to find them
 Benn, D Wheel, I Åström, J Christoffersen, P Cook, S Luckman, A Nick, F Hulton, N Hewitt, I Bassis, J The Journal of Glaciology 1-35 (06 Feb 2026)
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