Conversations Across Disciplines

Event Description

Jose Ceniceros will be presenting the following talk:

Title: Untangling Knots: Mathematical Research with Undergraduates

Abstract:

Knots are not just found in shoelaces and ropes; they also appear in nature in the complex folding of proteins and RNA. This talk will introduce the basics of knot theory, the mathematical study of knots, and explore how mathematicians determine when two knots are the same or different. We will then focus on a specific area of knot theory that I have helped develop, which has led to several published papers in collaboration with Hamilton College students. No advanced math background is needed, just an interest in patterns and structure.