UW-Milwaukee Mathematical Sciences

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UW-Milwaukee Mathematical Sciences Official page of the UW-Milwaukee Department of Mathematical Sciences.

The Department Mathematical Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is home to an active community of teachers, scholars, undergraduates, and graduate students. In addition to most traditional areas of Pure and Applied Mathematics, the department contains all UWM programs in Actuarial Science and Atmospheric Science. The department offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral studies in all of these areas, in addition to several interdisciplinary programs. Established in 1963, the PhD in Mathematics is the original doctoral program at UWM.

Join us next Friday, October 16th, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Dr. Christine Cheng's colloquium!Title:Bridging the Gap Bet...
10/09/2026

Join us next Friday, October 16th, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Dr. Christine Cheng's colloquium!

Title:
Bridging the Gap Between Stable Marriage and Stable Roommates: A Parameterized Algorithm for Optimal Stable Matchings

Abstract:
An instance of the Stable Roommates (SR) problem consists of 2n agents, each with a preference list that linearly orders the other agents. The goal is to find a perfect matching that is stable – one
with no pair of agents who mutually prefer each other to their assigned partners. In this talk, I consider the problem of finding an optimal stable matching. An efficient algorithm exists for Stable Marriage (SM) instances, the bipartite version, but the problem is NP-hard for SR instances. I will sketch a solution showing how an optimal stable matching for an SR instance can be obtained by “covering” it with SM instances. In particular, the closer the SR instance is to an SM instance, the more efficient is the solution.

Join us next Friday, October 9th, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Prof. José Luis Ramírez's colloquium!Title:From Polyominoes ...
10/02/2026

Join us next Friday, October 9th, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Prof. José Luis Ramírez's colloquium!

Title:
From Polyominoes to Fibonacci and Catalan Numbers

Abstract:
Polyominoes are simple geometric objects that lead to many interesting and sometimes surprisingly difficult problems in discrete mathematics and theoretical computer science. In this talk, I will introduce polyominoes and discuss two classical questions: tiling problems and the enumeration of polyominoes. I will then focus on a recent family of staircase polyominoes that leads to unexpected connections with two of my favorite integer sequences: the Fibonacci and Catalan numbers. If time permits, I will conclude with some open problems and possible directions for further research.

Join us next Friday, October 2nd, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Dr. Jonah Gaster's Colloquium! Title:Simple closed geodesics...
09/25/2026

Join us next Friday, October 2nd, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Dr. Jonah Gaster's Colloquium!

Title:
Simple closed geodesics on hyperbolic surfaces

Abstract:
Many of the 21st century spectacular advances in geometry and topology involve the study of simple closed geodesics on hyperbolic surfaces (Thurston, Mirzakhani, etc). I will tell you about one difficult little aspect of this story that I've been thinking about recently: How many simple closed geodesics on a hyperbolic surface may have precisely the same length?

I will sketch some of the background ideas that indicate why this question is deep, and related to other things that sound like they have nothing to do with hyperbolic geometry (like modular curves, Diophantine approximation, and solutions to polynomial equations).

Join us this Friday, September 25th, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Dr. Nicholas Mayer's Colloquium! Title:The combinatorics ...
09/22/2026

Join us this Friday, September 25th, at 2:00pm in EMS E495 for Dr. Nicholas Mayer's Colloquium!

Title:
The combinatorics of seaweed algebras

Abstract:
Seaweed algebras form a class of Lie algebras for which a number of algebraic invariants can be computed combinatorially. One such invariant is the index, an important algebraic invariant which is notoriously difficult to compute. Defining seaweed algebras originally as subalgebras of gl(n), Dergachev and Kirillov found that their index could be computed combinatorially by counting paths and cycles in a corresponding planar graph called a meander. Since then, the notion of a seaweed algebra has been extended to the classical Lie algebras (types A, B, C, and D), and the likewise extended notion of their associated meanders have been shown to hold much algebraic information. The goal of this talk is to give a tour of these combinatorial results over both gl(n) as well as the classical types. No prior knowledge is necessary for this talk. Open problems will be sprinkled throughout.

For more information:
https://sites.google.com/view/nmayers?pli=1&authuser=0

Join us on Monday, August 17th, at 10:00am in EMS E495 for Menalu Mekcha's MS Thesis Defense!Title: On the Combinatorics...
08/11/2026

Join us on Monday, August 17th, at 10:00am in EMS E495 for Menalu Mekcha's MS Thesis Defense!

Title:
On the Combinatorics of Restricted Skew Dyck Paths

Abstract:
This thesis studies the enumerative combinatorics of skew and restricted Dyck path families. Beginning with classical Dyck paths, non-decreasing Dyck paths, and domino tilings, we review their connections to Catalan numbers and odd-indexed Fibonacci numbers. For partial skew Dyck paths, we use Prodinger’s decorated path framework and the kernel method to obtain level-by-level generating functions and a structural bijection explaining the level recurrence.
The main contribution concerns restricted skew Dyck paths whose valley heights form a non-decreasing sequence. By tracking semi-length and peak count, we derive the bivariate generating function S_UD(x,y)=xy(1-2x)/((1-2x)^2-xy(1-x)). Setting y=1 recovers the total enumeration as a Fibonacci binomial sum. Finally, extracting row polynomials from this generating function shows that the double-indexed array s_UD(n,m) gives a combinatorial realization of OEIS triangle A114164.

Join us next Thursday, August 6th, at 9:30am in EMS E495 for Monica Cabria's MS Thesis Defense!Title: Convergences group...
07/28/2026

Join us next Thursday, August 6th, at 9:30am in EMS E495 for Monica Cabria's MS Thesis Defense!

Title:
Convergences groups and Gromov Hyperbolic Spaces

Abstract:
This thesis investigates the relationship between convergence group actions and hyperbolic spaces. Since the 1990s, this relationship has been a significant theme in geometric group theory, revealing deep connections between geometry and dynamics. The goal of this thesis is to provide a streamlined introduction to these ideas and to clarify the proofs of several foundational results.
In particular, we discuss a theorem of Tukia and Freden showing that properly discontinuous actions on hyperbolic spaces induce convergence group actions on their boundaries, and a theorem of Bowditch characterizing convergence group actions through the induced action on the space of distinct triples. Together, these results illustrate how geometric properties of hyperbolic spaces are reflected in the dynamics of group actions on their boundaries.

Join us next Friday, June 26th from 2:00pm-3:30pm in EMS W109, for Liam Jemison's PhD Dissertation Defense! Title:A Nonl...
06/16/2026

Join us next Friday, June 26th from 2:00pm-3:30pm in EMS W109, for Liam Jemison's PhD Dissertation Defense!

Title:
A Nonlocal Poisson–Boltzmann Model, Finite Element Solver, and Parallel Implementation for Ion Channels in Multispecies Ionic Solutions

Abstract:
We introduce the first nonlocal Poisson–-Boltzmann Ion Channel (NPBIC) model and corresponding finite element solver for three-dimensional ion channel–membrane systems in solvents with multiple ionic species. Although the NPBIC model presents numerical challenges caused by strong nonlinearities, nonlocal convolution terms, discontinuous interface conditions, and solution singularities induced by atomic point charges, we develop a novel decomposition technique for solving the model. We present a parallel NPBIC finite element solver package, and a host of numerical experiments and validation.

Mastered it! 🎓
05/22/2026

Mastered it! 🎓

Here are a few photos from the award ceremony! Photo cred: Hayley Nathan & Samuel StraubmullerMorris & Miriam Marden Awa...
05/22/2026

Here are a few photos from the award ceremony!
Photo cred: Hayley Nathan & Samuel Straubmuller

Morris & Miriam Marden Award
[pictured from left to right]
Lilly Carillo, Kayla Picasso, Joakim Jakovleski, Harrison Piehowski, Matt McClinton, Jonathan Walker-Moses, Kushlam Srivastava, Melissa Beerbower

Mathematical Sciences Graduate Teaching Award
[pictured from left to right]
Dr. Lei Wang (award committee member), John Museus, Olivia Bouthot, Rexford Cudjoe

Teply Award
[pictured from left to right]
Dr. Dexuan Xie (award committee member), Megan Whitehead, Matt McClinton, Kushlam Srivastava

Bruce & Janice Mielke Math Scholarship
[pictured from left to right]
Kayla Picasso, Dr. Gabriella Pinter

Congratulations to all of our Mathematical Sciences Spring 2026 Scholarship recipients! These awards are evidence of you...
05/22/2026

Congratulations to all of our Mathematical Sciences Spring 2026 Scholarship recipients! These awards are evidence of your hard work and commitment!

Address

EMS Building, Room E403; 3200 N Cramer Street
Milwaukee, WI
53211

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 7:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 7:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+14142294836

Website

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