Spring 2007 Schedule of Speakers

 

Date	Location	Speaker	Topic
February 22, 2007	Fowler 309 4:30 pm	Sarah Williams University of California at Davis	Modeling crazy behavior from nature with simple equations
	Applied mathematicians use equations to model nature.  But many equations are smooth and predictable, while nature can be wild and random. Is there any hope that simple equations can shed light on the complicated real world?  By adopting a discrete point of view, we'll find a way to answer "yes!" We'll put mathematical ideas into action by examining wild behavior in population biology and human physiology.
April 12, 2007	Fowler 309 4:30 pm	Bori Mazzag Humboldt State University	Using math in cell biology: a tale of two channel types
	This talk explores an example of how mathematics can be useful to molecular biologists. In many cells calcium stored in special reserves is released in response to various cues, and is used subsequently as a common component of cell signaling. An incredible variety of calcium signals exists, and the origin of the diversity of these signals is a fundamental question to understand. Several channel types responsible for releasing calcium from its stores have been identified but due to experimental constraints, their spatial distribution is largely unknown. The talk focuses on two of these channels types. We develop a probabilistic model for a single channel, followed by a model for a collection of channels, called a release site. We look at numerical simulations and investigate a number of biologically motivated questions. Can we distinguish between signals coming from release sites made up of a single channel type ("homogeneous release sites") and signals from release sites made up of both channel types ("heterogenous release sites")? Is there a difference between natural variation among channels of the same type and different channel types? The talk is aimed for an audience with an interest (although perhaps no background) in mathematical modeling and no prior knowledge of calcium signaling.
April 19th, 2007	Fowler 309 4:30 pm	Cymra Haskell University of Southern California	Making Heads and Tails out of the Toss of a Coin
	In this talk we will explore the concept of randomness. In particular, we will see that systems that are classically thought of as random are not necessarily inherently random, and that dynamical systems that are thought of as deterministic, can be viewed as random processes. We will show how random processes and dynamical systems can be given the same formulation so that, in  fact, they are different manifestations of the same thing. We will then explore different ways of measuring the level of randomness in a system, ending with a couple of results along these lines.