We are excited to announce and invite you to the 2021 LMS/IMA joint meeting. This event will include a number of mathematical lectures, as well as artistic exhibitions, all focused around the theme of Maths in Human Society. Our invited speakers will discuss a range of topics including pure and applied geometry, network science, and urban systems.
The Arts event will showcase work of collaborations between mathematicians and artists to explore creativity in mathematical research and ways to engage a public audience. It will be followed by a Q&A.
Programme
Sep 30th
13:45-14:00 Presidents’ welcome and LMS meeting
14:00-14:50 Desmond Higham – Spread of Disease: from Pairwise to Groupwise Modelling and Analysis
15:00-15:50 Saul Schleimer – Illustrating geometry (and topology)
Coffee break
16:20-17:10 Ginestra Binaconi – Higher-order networks and emergent geometry
17:30 arts event and Q&A
Oct 1st
10:00-10:50 Elsa Arcaute – Nature vs Nurture: Fractals and hierarchies
coffee break
11:20-12:10 Christian Mueller – Geometric Structures Motivated by Architecture
Abstracts
Spread of Disease: from Pairwise to Groupwise Modelling and Analysis – Des Higham
We typically interact in groups, not just in pairs. The traditional approach of modelling human interactions using a graph is a simplification which only considers pairwise relationships. Hyperedges can be used to record more general group interactions, and they allow us to take account of behavioural choices, such as social distancing and face covering, and interventions, such as lockdowns. I will show that it is feasible to develop and analyse such mathematical models, and I will focus on deriving conditions under which a disease becomes extinct. This initial work, which is joint with Henry-Louis de Kergorlay (University of Edinburgh), establishes theoretical results. I will also briefly describe ongoing work to make the results actionable using realistic data.
Illustrating geometry (and topology), Saul Schleimer
Abstract – According to Poincar\’e “geometry is the art of reasoning well from badly drawn figures” [1895]. In this talk I will give an informal discussion of some famous attempts to draw mathematical figures: some more, and some less, badly drawn. I will finish by discussing some of my own work in this direction, attempting to use
computer graphics, interactive web apps, and 3D printing to illustrate mathematics.
Title: Higher-order networks and emergent geometry, Ginestra Bianconi
Higher-order networks [1] describe the many-body interactions of a large variety of complex systems, ranging from the brain to collaboration networks and social contact networks. Simplicial complexes are generalized network structures which allow us to capture the combinatorial properties, the topology and the geometry of higher-order networks. In this talk we will show that simplicial complexes provide a very general mathematical framework to tackle the challenging problem of emergent geometry and we will briefly mention the rich interplay between the higher-order network structure and dynamics.
[1] G. Bianconi, Higher-order networks: An introduction to simplicial complexes (Cambridge University Press, 2021)
Nature vs Nurture: Fractals and hierarchies – Dr Elsa Arcaute
Fractals and hierarchies are patterns observed everywhere in nature. These are the outcome of complex interactions and feedback loops between different parts and scales of the system. Nature has beautiful examples of this. On the other hand, we tend to think of human systems, such as urban systems, as counterposed to natural systems. In this talk we explore the emergent patterns that we collectively produce from our individual choices and reflect on our physical embeddedness.
Geometric Structures Motivated by Architecture – Christian Mueller
We will study discrete structures from a discrete differential geometry point of view that have been motivated by architecture. In particular we will study discrete surfaces that are isometric to surfaces of revolution, surfaces with a constant ratio of principal curvatures, tensegrities which are frameworks from cables and bars in static equilibrium, and a support structure formed by quadrics.
Invited Speakers
Prof. Desmond Higham of the University of Edinburgh,
Prof Ginestra Bianconi of Queen Mary University of London,
Dr. Schleimer of the University of Warwick, and
Dr. Elsa Arcaute of University College London.
Prof. Christian Mueller of TU Wien
Participating Artists
Lee Allatson
Liam Taylor-West
Chloe Aligianni
Jenny Hibberd
Johnny Johnston
Organising Committee
Martine Barons
Brita Nucinkis
Jessica Enright
Carl Dettmann
Katrin Leschke
Alina Vdovina
Registration
Registration is now open – click here
Further information
For general conference queries please contact the Conferences Team
E-mail: conferences@ima.org.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1702 354 020
Institute of Mathematics and its Applications, Catherine Richards House, 16 Nelson Street, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, SS1 1EF, UK.