Department of Mathematics Colloquia

(Fall 2009)

DATE: Thursday, September 24, 2009

TIME: 3:00-4:00pm

LOCATION: Bradley Hall room 259

SPEAKER: Aaron League

INSTITUTION: Student, Bradley University

                    Report of Summer Research Experiences

Knotted Proteins

ABSTRACT:

Proteins, the molecules that play such an essential role in cellular processes, are made up of long strands of amino acids bonded together
and then folded, on rare occasion into knotted conformations. A knot, from a mathematical perspective, is a closed curve in space
with no self-intersections that cannot be deformed into a circle without passing through itself. The purpose of this research was to
define and identify when a protein's structure is nearly knotted. This research was done cooperatively with Jose Colon and Jacob Ryan under

the supervision of Ana Meyers and Dr. Isabel Darcy.

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SPEAKER: Kelsey Quarton

INSTITUTION: Student, Bradley University

                    Report of Summer Research Experiences

Shapes and Symmetry

ABSTRACT:

In this project, we explore the ideas of shape and symmetry. By looking at the groups of orthogonal transformations that fix
symmetric shapes in space, we are able to act on shapes that are not quite symmetric, but may somewhat resemble polygons or poyhedra that
we know to be symmetric. By comparing a dissymmetric shape to its image after an orthogonal transformation, we can quantify its amount
of dissymmetry. We do so by performing various tests that we have formulated to create a grading scale that can be used to weigh the
symmetry of such shapes. This is joint work with Beck Scofield, done under the supervision of Sam Schmidt and Dr. Jon Simon.

Refreshments will be served from 2:30 - 3:00 in Bradley Hall 4th Floor Lounge BR 440