Presidential Lectures

Topology, the "rubber sheet geometry", studies properties that do not change when objects are pulled and stretched. Accepting somewhat fuzzy input, it is the part of mathematics typically applied when qualitative conclusions are reached. However, it has a quantitative aspect important in understanding singularities, and potentially, high-dimensional noisy data and aspects of large-scale geometry of networks. Prof. Weinberger will discuss a variety of phenomena that arise or are illuminated by tracking of the complexity of geometric constructions.

In this talk, Christian Borgs will give an introduction to belief propagation, discuss how the accuracy of belief propagation has been rigorously established, and present recent applications to systems biology.

In this lecture, Mauro Maggioni will discuss a family of ideas, algorithms and results for learning from high-dimensional data.

In this lecture, Dan Littman will describe how intestinal commensal bacteria shape functions of immune system cells that prevent invasion by pathogenic microbes but can also contribute to systemic inflammation.