Math on Tap

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics is now hosting Math on Tap! The event is meant to be appealing and accessible to a wide range of people. Everyone is welcome. Bring your friends, significant others, neighbors!

Math on Tap takes place on the first Wednesday of every month at 6PM at Mother Road Brewery. Mother Road Brewery is a restaurant, so 21+ is NOT required. Please come join us!!

For those of you unfamiliar with “on Tap” events, Math on Tap is a variation of events that often go by the name “Science on Tap” or “STEM on Tap”. These events run at various cities around the country. In Flagstaff, we have Astronomy on Tap (sponsored by Lowell Observatory), Science on Tap, and Ales with the Arb (sponsored by The Arboretum at Flagstaff). And now Math on Tap!

The format will vary from event to event, but typically there will be a 30-minute talk aimed at a general audience followed by a short informal interview. During the event, people are welcome to eat and drink (this is encouraged!).

Schedule Spring 2026

Note that talks are listed in reverse chronological order.

Math Trivia Night!

Date: April 1, 2026

Speaker: Tyler Brock (NAU)

Abstract: Come join us for a math-themed trivia night! Rounds include…

• Math in Rap Lyrics
• Questionable Statistics Said with Confidence
• Jeopardy Style Before-and-Afters
• Are You Smarter Than A ChatGPT?

No gnarly calculations. No fancy formulas. No long division. Zero experience necessary. Positive fun guaranteed.

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Julia Sets - Beautiful Pictures From Simple (Complex) Calculations

Date: March 4, 2026

Speaker: Matt Fahy (NAU)

Abstract: Numbers involving the square root of negative one, called complex numbers, often have a reputation as impossible, or “imaginary”, but they actually have interesting and surprisingly practical characteristics. I’ll lay out the fundamental properties of complex numbers (no background knowledge needed!), briefly mention one or two of their practical uses, then show how elementary operations on complex numbers can generate famously beautiful pictures.

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The unsolved high school problems (Demystifying that mathematicians know it all)

Date: February 4, 2026

Speaker: Misha Baltushkin (NAU)

Abstract: Some of the most famous unsolved problems in mathematics can be stated using only the arithmetic of whole numbers taught in high school. Despite their simple statements, these problems have resisted proof for decades—or even centuries. In this talk, we will explore several such mysteries, including the Goldbach Conjecture, the Twin Prime Conjecture, and the Collatz Conjecture. Each asks a question that is easy to understand, easy to experiment with, and surprisingly difficult to resolve. Although mathematicians have developed powerful tools and achieved extraordinary successes, these problems remind us that our knowledge is still incomplete and that even elementary questions can remain unanswered. Along the way, we will see how mathematicians test conjectures, why simple problems can hide deep complexity, and what partial progress has taught us so far. The goal is not technical detail, but to showcase the beauty, accessibility, and ongoing intrigue of open problems in mathematics.