J. C. Eaves Lecture

2026-27 J.C. Eaves Lecture

Topic: Decision boundaries: How they help us understand algorithms from classical ML to modern AI.

Decision boundaries are geometric patterns that indicate the ways classifiers label data points. Most people in data science and machine learning have seen them, but thinking deeply about them helps us understand more clearly the behaviors of the different classical classifier algorithms, including logistic regression, decision tree, random forestd and k-NN. They also help us think about what's going on inside modern AI algorithms such as chatbots. In this talk, I'll show how decision boundaries are an overlooked topic that help us better understand the old and the new in machine learning.

Bio: Noah Giansiracusa is a math professor at Bentley University (a business school near Boston) and a faculty associate at Harvard. He’s appeared on CNN, NBC, and the BBC and has written for a range of outlets including Time, Scientific American and the Washington Post. He’s written two books: "How Algorithms Create and Prevent Fake News" (2021) and "Robin Hood Math: Take Control of the Algorithms that Run Your Life" (2025). His work has been praised by multiple Nobel laureates, an Ironman champion and the most powerful woman in hedge funds, among others.

 

Date:
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Location:
Davis Marksbury Building, Hardymon Theatre
Event Series:

2025-26 J.C. Eaves Lecture

Title: On barrier height and other problems in RNA branching landscapes

Abstract: Understanding the folding of RNA sequences into three-dimensional structures is a fundamental challenge in molecular biology. A key aspect amenable to mathematical analysis is characterizing the branching of an RNA secondary structure, which is a critical molecular characteristic yet too often difficult to predict correctly. Using combinatorial models (i.e. plane trees/noncrossing perfect matchings) and methods (e.g. convex polytopes and their normal fans), we give results that characterize different types of branching landscapes. Not only does this yield insights into RNA structure formation, but it also suggests interesting new directions for further mathematical analysis.

BIO:  Christine Heitsch is the founding director of the Southeast Center for Mathematics and Biology, one of four NSF-Simons MathBioSys research centers nationally.  She is professor of mathematics at the Georgia Institute of Technology with courtesy appointments in Biological Sciences and in Computational Science & Engineering. Following her Ph.D. in mMathematics from the University of California at Berkeley, she was a postdoctoral fellow in theoretical computer science at the University of British Columbia and computational biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Her interdisciplinary research area of discrete mathematical biology sits at the interface of the mathematical, computational and biological sciences and is supported by both NSF and NIH. She is an expert in the combinatorics of RNA folding with research publications in all three disciplines and numerous conference presentations. Recognitions include a career award at the Scientific Interface from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund and an Alumni Achievement Award from the Department of Mathematics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Poster advertising Eaves Lecture. Talk to be given at 4pm, reception to preceed 3:30pm in Hardymon Theatre Lobby.

Date:
Location:
Hardymon Theatre, David Marksbury Building
Event Series:

2024-25 Eaves Lecture

Life in Black and White: The Puzzling World of Crosswords:  Crossword puzzles have been an American pastime since 1913. While a lot has changed in our world since then, the crossword remains as popular as ever. We'll take a quick spin through the history of the crossword, highlighting some of the most brilliant people and puzzles. We'll experience how a puzzle gets made from start to finish. We'll explore events and innovations that have shaped the current landscape of the crossword. And perhaps most importantly, we'll see what we can learn from crosswords, even if we aren't puzzle fans.

Bio: Neville Fogarty earned his B.S. in Mathematics and Economics from Washington and Lee University in 2010. After spending a year working in industry, he came to the University of Kentucky, where he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Mathematics for his work in algebraic coding theory under the guidance of Dr. Heide Gluesing-Luerssen. Since leaving UK in 2016, Dr. Fogarty has worked in the Department of Mathematics at Christopher Newport University, a public, four-year university with 4,500 students in Newport News, VA. He currently holds the rank of Senior Lecturer. In addition to teaching over a dozen other courses, he has created an upper division course on coding and information theory and an Honors course on crossword puzzles.

2025 Eaves Lecture Poster

 

Date:
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Location:
JSB 321
Event Series:

Dr. Tara Holm

2018-19 J.C. Eaves Lecture

Speaker: Tara Holm is a Professor of Mathematics at Cornell University
Time and date: 5:00-6:00 pm, Thursday, 21 March 2019
Location: Whitehall Classroom Building, Room 106

Title: Understanding Symplectic Geometry through Polytopes and Lattice Points

Abstract:​ Topology is often called ``rubber sheet geometry" and is described as ``floppy" while geometry is more ``rigid".  Symplectic geometry, the natural geometry of classical mechanics, is floppier than Riemannian geometry but more rigid than topology.  I will give an overview of this floppy/rigid spectrum.  We will then explore how the geometry and topology of symmetries in this context relate to properties of polytopes, motivated by many pictures and examples.  I will conclude with how some of my recent work, joint with Daniel Cristofaro-Gardiner, Alessia Mandini and Ana Rita Pires, comes to feature continued factions, counting lattice points, and the Philadelphia subway system.

The lecture is supported by the Dr. J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence in Mathematics Endowment Fund. 

 

About the J.C. Eaves Speakers Series

The J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence in Mathematics Endowment Fund brings speakers to campus to participate in the undergraduate mathematics program. The Fund is supported by a generous gift from James C. Eaves, Jr. and Mary Eaves, the son and daughter-in-law of J.C. Eaves. J.C. Eaves was a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy at the University of Kentucky and served as Chair of the Department from 1953 to 1963. 

The previous speakers in the J.C. Eaves Speakers Series are:

  • Francis Su, Harvey Mudd College, 2017-18
  • Ken Ono, Emory University, 2016-17
  • Mihai Stoicu, Williams College, 2015-16

The photograph of J.C. Eaves from 1965 is provided courtesy of the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center. The original may be found at ExploreUK.

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Date:
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Location:
Whitehall Classroom Building, Room 106
Event Series:

Dr. Francis Edward Su

2017-18 J.C. Eaves Lecture

Speaker: Francis Su of the Department of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College

Time and date: 5-6 pm, Thursday, 29 March 2018.

Location: White Hall Classroom Building, Room 110

Title: Mathematics for Human Flourishing

Abstract: Why does the practice of mathematics often fall short of our ideals and hopes? How can deeply human themes motivate our students to do and study mathematics? I have been advancing the message that mathematics help people flourish, no matter what they choose to do with their lives or careers. I will explain why I believe this is an important message, especially for educators, and describe some of the reactions I've received.

The J.C. Eaves Lecture is supported by the Dr. J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence Fund in Mathematics. 

About Dr. Francis Edward Su

Francis Edward Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College. He received his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin, and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. His research is in geometric and topological combinatorics, motivated by applications in the social sciences. He has held visiting appointments at Cornell University, MSRI, and Caltech. His work has been supported by multiple NSF research grants and he has co-authored numerous papers with undergraduates.

Su also has a passion for teaching and popularizing mathematics. From the Mathematical Association of America, he received the 2001 Hasse Prize for expository writing, and the 2004 Alder Award and the 2013 Haimo Award for distinguished teaching. He has delivered many invited lectures at national and Section meetings, including the 2006 Leitzel Lecture. He authors the popular Math Fun Facts website and iPhone app.

About the J.C. Eaves Speakers Series

The J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence Fund brings speakers to campus to participate in the undergraduate mathematics program. The Fund is supported by a generous gift from James C. Eaves, Jr. and Mary Eaves, the son and daughter-in-law of J.C. Eaves. J.C. Eaves was a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy at the University of Kentucky and served as Chair of the Department from 1953 to 1963. 

The previous speakers in the J.C. Eaves Speakers Series are:

  • Ken Ono, Emory University, 2016-17
  • Frank Wilczek, MIT, 2015-16
  • Mihai Stoicu, Williams College, 2015-16

The photograph of J.C. Eaves from 1965 is provided courtesy of the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center. The original may be found at ExploreUK.

Web page for Eaves Lecture

Date:
-
Location:
White Hall Classroom Building, Room 110
Event Series:

Dr. Ken Ono

Abstract:

Dear Sir...I beg to introduce myself to you as a clerk... of the Port Trust Office at Madras... I have been employing the spare time at my disposal to work at Mathematics...I have not trodden through the conventional regular course... but I am striking out a new path...

What followed in the letter were astonishing mathematical formulas, so otherworldly the letter's recipient could not help but believe they were true. Written in 1913, it has taken mankind one century to understand their meaning; along the way, the pursuit has led to solutions of ancient mathematical mysteries, breakthroughs in modern physics, and ideas which help power the internet. With this letter, Srinivasa Ramanujan-impoverished Hindu college dropout, self-taught in mathematics, reaching for worlds beyond the shores of India-introduced himself not only to G.H. Hardy (superstar British mathematician), but to the history of human thought. Ramanujan spent his youth sitting on cool stone floors in the neighborhood temple, surrounded by deities, his mind wandering the cosmos of math as he built upon the contents of a shabby textbook that was his bible. After absorbing the surprising equations in the letter, Hardy invited Ramanujan to study in England, an extraordinary offer for an Indian under colonial rule. Together they innovated vast tracts of mathematics, before Ramanujan returned to India in fragile health. Tragically, he died at 32 from a misdiagnosed illness, leaving three enigmatic notebooks that drive cutting-edge research to this day. The speaker will talk about Ramanujan and share exclusive clips from the recent Hollywood film "The Man Who Knew Infinity" which stars Dev Patel (Ramanujan) and Jeremy Irons (G. H. Hardy).

About the speaker: Ken Ono is the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Emory University. He has authored over 150 research papers, as well as 5 books. His work includes ground-breaking results in Number Theory. He has received numerous awards and honors, including a Levy Prize, Sloan Fellowship,a Presidential Career Award from President Clinton, a Packard Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, and he is a member of the US National Committee for Mathematics at the US National Academy of Sciences. In addition to his research accomplishments, Ono is also a master lecturer and teacher as evidenced by his receipt of the 2005 National Science Foundation Director's Distinguished Scholar Award. He has recently been named the George Polya Distinguished Lecturer by the Mathematical Association of America and the MacLaurin Lecturer by the American Mathematical Society. He is also an Associate Producer for the film "The Man Who Knew Infinity".

Reception: There will be a reception for Professor Ono from 2:30-3:15 pm in room 745 of the Patterson Office Tower on 27 October.

Acknowledgements: Ken Ono's visit is sponsored by the Department of Mathematics, The Dr. J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence Fund in Mathematics, and the College of Arts and Sciences as part of Passport to the World - Year of South Asia.

Date:
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Location:
Thomas Hunt Morgan Biological Sciences Building Room 107
Tags/Keywords:

Dr. Ken Ono

Abstract:

Dear Sir...I beg to introduce myself to you as a clerk... of the Port Trust Office at Madras... I have been employing the spare time at my disposal to work at Mathematics...I have not trodden through the conventional regular course... but I am striking out a new path...

What followed in the letter were astonishing mathematical formulas, so otherworldly the letter's recipient could not help but believe they were true. Written in 1913, it has taken mankind one century to understand their meaning; along the way, the pursuit has led to solutions of ancient mathematical mysteries, breakthroughs in modern physics, and ideas which help power the internet. With this letter, Srinivasa Ramanujan-impoverished Hindu college dropout, self-taught in mathematics, reaching for worlds beyond the shores of India-introduced himself not only to G.H. Hardy (superstar British mathematician), but to the history of human thought. Ramanujan spent his youth sitting on cool stone floors in the neighborhood temple, surrounded by deities, his mind wandering the cosmos of math as he built upon the contents of a shabby textbook that was his bible. After absorbing the surprising equations in the letter, Hardy invited Ramanujan to study in England, an extraordinary offer for an Indian under colonial rule. Together they innovated vast tracts of mathematics, before Ramanujan returned to India in fragile health. Tragically, he died at 32 from a misdiagnosed illness, leaving three enigmatic notebooks that drive cutting-edge research to this day. The speaker will talk about Ramanujan and share exclusive clips from the recent Hollywood film "The Man Who Knew Infinity" which stars Dev Patel (Ramanujan) and Jeremy Irons (G. H. Hardy).

About the speaker: Ken Ono is the Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Emory University. He has authored over 150 research papers, as well as 5 books. His work includes ground-breaking results in Number Theory. He has received numerous awards and honors, including a Levy Prize, Sloan Fellowship,a Presidential Career Award from President Clinton, a Packard Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the American Mathematical Society, and he is a member of the US National Committee for Mathematics at the US National Academy of Sciences. In addition to his research accomplishments, Ono is also a master lecturer and teacher as evidenced by his receipt of the 2005 National Science Foundation Director's Distinguished Scholar Award. He has recently been named the George Polya Distinguished Lecturer by the Mathematical Association of America and the MacLaurin Lecturer by the American Mathematical Society. He is also an Associate Producer for the film "The Man Who Knew Infinity".

Reception: There will be a reception for Professor Ono from 2:30-3:15 pm in room 745 of the Patterson Office Tower on 27 October.

Acknowledgements: Ken Ono's visit is sponsored by the Department of Mathematics, The Dr. J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence Fund in Mathematics, and the College of Arts and Sciences as part of Passport to the World - Year of South Asia.

Date:
-
Location:
Thomas Hunt Morgan Biological Sciences Building Room 107
Tags/Keywords:

Dr. Mihai Stoiciu

Title: Randomness, well-posedness, and Bertrand’s paradox

Abstract: We will discuss Bertrand’s Paradox, a famous problem in probability. The question is the following: what is the probability that a random chord in a given circle is longer than the side of the equilateral triangle inscribed in the circle? Since the problem is not well-posed, we can find at least five "correct" answers to this question. We will present these different approaches and discuss the concepts of randomness and well-posedness.

Refreshments will be served at 3:30 pm before the lecture in POT 745.

About the speaker: Mihai Stoiciu received his undergraduate degree in Mathematics at the University of Bucharest, Romania and his Ph.D. (also in Mathematics) at Caltech in Pasadena, CA (dissertation title: "Zeros of Random Orthogonal Polynomials on the Unit Circle"). After graduating from Caltech, Stoiciu started as an Assistant Professor at Williams College, where he is now an Associate Professor. At Williams, Stoiciu teaches courses at all levels and has advised seven Honors Theses and three summer REU Programs. He spent leaves and sabbaticals at the Newton Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge, UK, at University of California Irvine, and at University of Wisconsin Madison. Stoiciu's research is in Mathematical Physics and Functional Analysis and his current interests are in Schrodinger operators and random matrices.

The J.C. Eaves Lecture is supported by the Dr. J.C. Eaves Undergraduate Excellence Fund in Mathematics. 

Date:
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Location:
114 White Hall Classroom Building (CB)
Event Series: