Upcoming Department Seminars

Sept. 15, 2026

Logic Seminar

Structures with Finite Big Ramsey Degrees within the Framework of Arithmetic
Peter Cholak of Notre Dame : 3 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

This is a survey talk on recent work concerning structures with finite big Ramsey degrees, viewed through the framework of arithmetic. Even the first part of the title—“structures with finite big Ramsey degrees”—takes some unpacking, and we will begin by explaining what this means. The main theme is that many of the ideas and constructions involved can be formulated within arithmetic, and that the techniques needed to study them can likewise be carried out within arithmetic. We will illustrate this theme through several examples, developing some of the relevant constructions and proofs along the way.

Sept. 16, 2026

Louise Hay Logic Seminar

Find me a Field
Michael Lange of UIC : 11 a.m. in 427 SEO

Abstract

The Algebraicity Conjecture of Cherlin and Zilber proposes that every simple group of finite Morley rank is abstractly isomorphic to the $K$-points of some algebraic group for some algebraically closed field $K$. The goal of this talk will be to present two early results fundamental to the study of such groups. One, a "linearization lemma" due to Zilber, demonstrates one natural way in which interpretable fields can arise from definable group actions; the other, MacIntyre's Theorem on $\omega$-stable fields, explains why all such fields must be algebraically closed.

MATH Club

There are no simple groups of order 90
Evangelos Kobotis of UIC : noon in 1227 SEO

Abstract

This talk will be a crash course on the rudiments of groups. We will introduce groups, subgroups, normal subgroups, quotient groups, homomorphisms, kernel-image and cokernel of a homomorphism, Sylow theorems and we will give two proofs of the fact that every group with 90 elements has a non-trivial normal subgroup.

Statistics and Data Science Seminar

Aggregating dependent signals: validity and power of Heavy-Tailed Combination Tests
Jingshu Wang of University of Chicago : 4:30 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

A common problem in statistics is how to combine results from many tests when the tests are not independent. Traditional approaches, like Bonferroni, are valid but often overly conservative and lose power. Recently, “heavy-tailed” methods, such as the Cauchy combination test and the harmonic mean p-value, have become increasingly popular in genetic applications as more efficient ways to aggregate signals and handle unknown dependence. In this talk, I will present a unified perspective on the validity and power of these methods under different dependence structures. I will explain when they behave like Bonferroni—offering little advantage—and when they can deliver clear power gains. In particular, I will show that when p-values are pairwise asymptotically independent (such as pairwise normally distributed), heavy-tailed combination tests are equivalent to the Bonferroni test as significance thresholds shrink. However, under stronger forms of tail dependence modeled via multivariate regularly varying copulas, they remain asymptotically valid and achieve substantial improvements. A key insight is that the tail index of the transformation distribution determines the trade-off between validity and power, with γ=1 maximizing power while preserving validity, whereas Bonferroni emerges as the degenerate case when γ→0. These results offer both theoretical insights and practical guidance, and I will illustrate a few examples in genetic analysis.

Sept. 21, 2026

Algebraic Geometry Seminar

TBA
Linquan Ma of Purdue : 3 p.m. in 427 SEO

Sept. 23, 2026

MATH Club

How many lines meet 4 skew lines in projective space? (A Friendly Introduction to Enumerative Geometry)
Naima Nader of UIC : noon in 1227 SEO

Sept. 25, 2026

Departmental Colloquium

TBA
Ryan Martin of Purdue University : 3 p.m. in 636 SEO

Sept. 28, 2026

Analysis and Applied Mathematics Seminar

TBA
Phanuel Mariano of Union College : 4 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

TBA

Sept. 29, 2026

Logic Seminar

Connor Watson : 3 p.m. in 636 SEO

Sept. 30, 2026

Statistics and Data Science Seminar

TBA
Ning Hao of University of Arizona : 4 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

TBA

Oct. 2, 2026

Departmental Colloquium

TBA
Jie Ma of Tsinghua University : 3 p.m. in 636 SEO

Oct. 5, 2026

Algebraic Geometry Seminar

TBA
Giovanni Inchiostro of University of Washington : 3 p.m. in 427 SEO

Analysis and Applied Mathematics Seminar

TBA
Guangqu Zheng of Boston University : 4 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

TBA

Oct. 6, 2026

Logic Seminar

James Hanson of Iowa State University : 3 p.m. in 636 SEO

Oct. 7, 2026

Statistics and Data Science Seminar

TBA
Wei Sun of Purdue University : 4:30 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

TBA

Oct. 12, 2026

Algebraic Geometry Seminar

TBA
Tommaso De Fernex of University of Utah : 3 p.m. in 427 SEO

Oct. 18, 2026

Algebraic Geometry Seminar

TBA
Matt Larson of Princeton : 3 p.m. in 427 SEO

Oct. 19, 2026

Analysis and Applied Mathematics Seminar

TBA
Youssef Hakiki of Purdue University : 4 p.m. in 636 SEO

Abstract

TBA

Oct. 20, 2026

Logic Seminar

TBA
Joey Lakerdas-Gayle of Waterloo : 3 p.m. in 636 SEO

Oct. 21, 2026

MATH Club

Analytic Solutions for D-optimal Designs under Generalized Linear Models
Jie Yang of UIC : noon in SEO 1227

Abstract

In order to find D-optimal designs in statistics, we often need to maximize a homogeneous polynomial as a function of proportions. We introduce two analytic approaches to solve D-optimal approximate designs under generalized linear models. The first approach provides analytic D-optimal allocations for generalized linear models with two factors. The second approach leads to explicit solutions for a class of generalized linear models with more than two factors. There are many other similar optimization problems of homogeneous polynomials that are open and have potential applications in statistics. Pizza will be served.