Control theory is an important topic in applied mathematics that is used in a number of disciplines. Its theoretical foundations involve several areas of mathematics. It is also a topic that is less well known at the undergraduate level. In this talk we will explain what control theory is and give several elementary examples of specific kinds of…

Solid, liquid, gas – we see these phases of matter all around us. But physicists have discovered exotic phases with strange properties, such as superfluids and superconductors. What kinds of phase transitions happen in an extremely cold, thin sheet of matter? What does this have to do with the field of math known as topology? In this talk we’ll…

Basic physics suggests that when we stand up, the blood pressure in our brain should drop dramatically. Such a pressure drop should cause us to faint. But most of us don’t faint when we stand up. In this talk I’ll discuss a mathematical model that explains why most of us don’t, and why some people…