Abstract:         Biologically realistic models in neuroscience are challenging to build and to simulate due to the large numbers of neurons, their complex interactions, and the large number of unknown physiological parameters.  Reduced, or coarse-grained, models are more tractable, but it is not always clear how to make sense of models too far removed from neuroanatomy and physiology.  In this talk, I will report on a recently proposed approach to coarse-graining cortical models that aims to balance biological realism and computational efficiency, and illustrate its use on models of specific cortical circuits in primates.  This is joint work with Zhuo-Cheng Xiao (PhD UA Applied Math 2020, now at NYU-Shanghai) and Lai-Sang Young (NYU).

Mechanical metamaterials are many-body elastic systems that deform in unusual ways, due to the interactions of essentially rigid building blocks. Examples include origami patterns with many folds, or kirigami patterns made by cutting material from a thin elastic sheet. In either case, the local deformations of the pattern involve internal degrees of freedom which must be matched with the usual global Euclidean invariances --- e.g., groups of four origami panels move by coordinated rotations and translations, but it is still possible to bend the whole origami pattern into an overall curved shape. This talk will introduce the homogenization problem for kirigami and origami metamaterials to a broad audience and describe our recent results. Our goal is to explain the link between the design of the individual cuts/folds and the bulk deformations and geometries they can produce. This is joint work with Paul Plucinsky (U. Southern California, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering) and Paolo Celli (Stony Brook U., Civil Engineering).

Day 4: PDE learning and Scientific  with Julia 

Place: Math, 402

           1 - Scientific Computing Integration with AD in Julia and Custom Adjoints

            2 - Example Notebooks: GPU Computing in Julia

            3 - Example Notebooks: Neural PDE Learning in Julia

            4 - Example Notebooks: Data Processing and Cross language Integration

Zoom:   https://arizona.zoom.us/j/83738249833   Passcode: applied

Abstract:  This talk will build a careful foundation for modeling knit objects using graphs in order to explore equivalences between knittable objects and well known graph structures and build theory for the complexity of determining knittability of graph structures. This discussion will also relate knitting properties with the topological genus of graphs and explore restrictions of general graph algorithms which are uniquely motivated by the knitting process. This foundation will be used to represent real-world knitting patterns and illustrate considerations of visualizing such patterns through force-directed graph layout algorithms.

Al Scott, a native of Worcester, Massachusetts, obtained a doctorate in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1961. During the early 1970’s his research interests led to important contributions to the then emerging field of soliton mathematics and nonlinear wave propagation. He became one of the leading figures in the new field of nonlinear science and a founding editor of Physica D, the first journal devoted to the study of nonlinear phenomena. He was very interested in the role of nonlinear dynamics in modeling biological systems and, in particular, its applications to neuroscience.

In addition to many scholarly papers on a wide variety of topics he wrote several books on neuroscience and nonlinear science and was the editor of the comprehensive Encyclopedia of Nonlinear Science published in 2005. He joined the faculty of the Mathematics Department at the University of Arizona in 1985 and became a member of the University’s Program in Applied Mathematics. He retired from the University in 2000. His many contributions to the life of both the Program in Applied Mathematics and the Department of Mathematics were characterized by a civilized and good-humored approach to academic life. He was particularly encouraging of graduate students and it is this characteristic that is the basis for the Al Scott Prize and Lecture. The annually awarded prize is given to a senior student in the Program in Applied Mathematics and consists of a cash prize and a lecture in the Applied Mathematics Colloquium series.

Day 4: PDE learning and Scientific  with Julia 

Place: ENR2, S395

           1 - Scientific Computing Integration with AD in Julia and Custom Adjoints

            2 - Example Notebooks: GPU Computing in Julia

            3 - Example Notebooks: Neural PDE Learning in Julia

            4 - Example Notebooks: Data Processing and Cross language Integration

Zoom:   https://arizona.zoom.us/j/83738249833   Passcode: applied

Title: From computational biology to disease control: insights from bacterial zoonotic diseases

Abstract: Newly emerging bacterial diseases are major threats to public and animal health. Bacteria that have long latent periods and can jump the species barrier are especially difficult to diagnose and control. Animal tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis has been recognized as a problem in many parts of the world. Infections have been found in multiple wildlife and livestock populations, as well as in humans. Recognition of the epidemiologic circumstances involved in spillover events, amplification, and spread of animal TB is essential for prioritizing surveillance and predicting future disease emergence risk. Here, I will present research to investigate ecological and evolutionary questions in the wildlife-livestock animal TB system. Using multiple data streams and a combination of statistical and mechanistic models, I will explore the main drivers enabling M. bovis persistence at the population level, as well as the impacts of cross-species transmission events on the management and control of the disease.

For details, see https://science.arizona.edu/academics/graduation-convocation