Senior Seminar Information (Class of 2013)

For the 2012-2013 academic year, the senior seminar topics are Chaotic Dynamical Systems and Generalized Symmetric Spaces. The Math Department is excited to have two options this academic year and so many interested students. To ensure the senior seminar experience is an enriching experience it is necessary to keep class sizes relatively small and even.

We ask you to help us make the seminars successful by submitting a proposal for your preferred seminar to Clementine Brasier (cbrasier@bates.edu) by October 15th. Please submit a one-page written proposal detailing which seminar you would like in winter semester and why. The Math Department will consider all proposals and inform all majors of placement before winter registration. Below you will find descriptions of Math 395D and Math 395K to help you with your proposal.

Math 395D: Chaotic Dynamical Systems
One of the major scientific accomplishments of the last twenty-five years was the discovery of chaos and the recognition that sensitive dependence on initial conditions is exhibited by so many natural and man-made processes. To really understand chaos, one needs to learn the mathematics behind it. This seminar considers mathematical models of real-world processes and studies how these models behave as they demonstrate chaos and its surprising order.
Tentatively scheduled: MWF 8:00-9:20

Math 395K: Generalized Symmetric Spaces
Symmetric spaces are unique structures studied in mathematics and mathematical physics. In fact, most mathematicians, scientists, and students have unknowingly worked with symmetric spaces many times. The concept is a basic extension of group theory studied in abstract algebra. This course introduces symmetric spaces using concepts from linear algebra, abstract algebra, and some combinatorics. Through current articles and texts, students decipher and discover the patterns and determine the classification of symmetric spaces in various finite groups. As a relatively new field of inquiry, the study of symmetric spaces challenges students to engage in original research during the course. MATH 309 is a prerequisite to this seminar.
Tentatively scheduled: MW 2:40-4:00