The “Friday Afternoon Mathematics Undergraduate Seminar” (FAMUS) is a weekly event consisting of announcements, talks, and faculty interviews. FAMUS takes place most Fridays at 3:00-4:00pm in Room 164 of the Adel Mathematics Building. Typically the first half of FAMUS consists of a talk on a mathematical topic while an interview of a faculty member takes place in the second half. FAMUS is hosted by Jeff Rushall.
Come join us for some entertaining talks! Refreshments always served.
Note that talks are listed in reverse chronological order.
Date: May 2, 2025
Speakers: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: I hope the title is self-explanatory: I’ll, umm, explain why e is cooler than pi. The talk will be full of many historical tidbits.
The faculty guest is also Jeff Rushall. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: April 18, 2025
Speakers: Morgan Boyers (NAU)
Abstract: A digraph is a graph whose edges are directed in only one way, like one-way streets. A Seymour vertex is vertex that has at least as many vertices 2 edges away from it as it has vertices 1 edge away from it. A Sullivan vertex has at least as many vertices 2 edges away from it as it has vertices 1 edge away from it but traveling towards said vertex. It is conjectured that EVERY digraph has at least one Seymour and one Sullivan vertex. Morgan proved that several infinite families of digraphs satisfy these conjectures. Come and learn how he did it. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: April 11, 2025
Speakers: Tyler Brock (NAU)
Abstract: For years, this speaker has wondered “But what is the gamma function, really, though?” and “Can we take a derivative of the factorial function?” He still doesn’t know the answers to those questions. But he’ll tell some stories related to those topics. Some of the stories will even be TRUE!
There is an unusual faculty guest this week: the audience. Tyler will interview/question the audience. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: April 4, 2025
Speakers: Calder Evans and Taylor Smith (NAU)
Abstract: Non-local games involve two cooperating non-communicating players who attempt to give correct answers to an independent verifier based on a known rule function, to win as many rounds as possible. The players–Alice and Bob–both receive questions from the referee. The players cannot communicate but can agree on a strategy beforehand. Whether they win or lose a round depends on the 4-tuple of questions and answers involving the two players. We specifically focus on synchronous games–these are where players that receive the same question must respond with identical answers–and exhibit a new transformation of 4-output synchronous games to 3-coloring games. This transformation gives an improvement on a transformation of the faculty mentor in the 4-output setting. One can apply this transformation to games where the players cannot win with classical strategies, but can win 100% of the time using quantum strategies (i.e. with the resources of quantum mechanics). Applying this transformation to the Mermin-Peres magic square game yields a graph on at most 134 vertices that is quantum 3-colorable, but not classically 3-colorable, a significant reduction on previous work of the faculty mentor.
There is no faculty guest this week. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: March 28, 2025
Speaker: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: In this FAMUS I will attempt to answer the following question: in how many ways can a person lace their shoes? It turns out that when considering lace criss-crossing, eyelet order, etc., this is a pretty tricky problem. I’ll do my best to answer the question correctly while providing a healthy dose of math memes.
The faculty guest this week is Annie Carter. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: March 21, 2025
Speaker: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: In this FAMUS I will present an overview of potential undergrad research projects overseen by faculty in our department during academic year 2025-26. There are several: some are mathy, some are more applied, etc. Some offer funding, some do not. Any student who has any interest in doing undergrad research next year in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics should attend this FAMUS!
There is no faculty interview this week. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: February 28, 2025
Speaker: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: A “super heronian triangle” is any triangle whose side lengths are consecutive positive integers and whose area is also an integer. Do any even exist? The answer is yes: the familiar 3-4-5 right triangle is super heronian. Are there any others? Well, if you come to FAMUS this Friday, I’ll tell you!
There is no faculty interview this week. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: February 21, 2025
Speaker: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: Any positive integer that can be written as the sum of 2 or more consecutive positive integers is called a “polite number.” Any positive integer that CANNOT be written as the sum of 2 or more consecutive positive integers is called an “impolite number.” So which positive integers are polite, which are impolite, and why do we care? Come to FAMUS and find out!
There is no faculty interview this week. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: February 14, 2025
Speaker: Robert Buscaglia (NAU)
Abstract: DataFest is a world-wide competition hosted by the American Statistical Association. DataFest challenges undergraduate students with real life data sets and applications, requiring the use of a variety of skills including Mathematics, Statistics, Data Handling and Management, Data Analysis, and lots of Computing! Details will be provided regarding NAU’s first ever solo DataFest competition – ASA DataFest@NAU 2025! This will include information regarding previous DataFest competitions, what the competition weekend entails, testimonials from previous “DataFesters”, how and what to prepare for the competition, and you can even sign up right on the spot! A great way to get ready for DataFest will be to engage with our newly created “Data Science Club” here at NAU. The president of this newly formed club will speak about the potential activities of the club and what being a member of the Data Science club would entail. If you are interested in analysis, data science, or working with “Big Data”, we encourage you to come check out this week’s FAMUS to learn more about these exciting events happening here at NAU’s mountain campus!
In lieu of a faculty interview, we will pepper Robert (and friends) with all manner of questions related to DataFest, Date Science, the Date Science Club, etc. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: February 7, 2025
Speaker: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: A perfect squared square is a big square formed from a bunch of smaller squares, each of a different size, with no overlaps or gaps. Constructing them is very tricky, and at one time was thought to be impossible. I will discuss the history of the attempt to build a perfect squared square and show some progress that has been made. And show some fun pictures of Canada.
There is no faculty interview this week. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: January 31, 2025
Speaker: Jeff Rushall (NAU)
Abstract: I will define the Platonic solids, present a short “history” of their discovery/creation, and talk a bit about generalizations.
There is no faculty interview this week. [PDF of Flyer]
Date: January 24, 2025
Speaker: Eliza Todd and Iris Zepezauer (NAU)
Abstract: Eliza Todd and Iris Zepezauer, two undergraduate students who have been working on an undergraduate research project with me (Jeff Rushall) on, yes, the second neighborhood conjecture and related questions. Iris and Eliza will present background info and show some new results they have “discovered” (with a huge amount of help from Morgan Boyers, another undergrad on their research team).
The interviewees this week are Iris and Eliza. I will pepper them with questions related to undergraduate research. [PDF of Flyer]